



BLACKBOARD 



XHTHB 





LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

Chap. Copyright ^0.4--— 

ShelCll/) h 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



CHALK LESSONS, 



OR THE 



BLACKBOARD 

IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL 



PRACTICAL GUIDE 



FOR 



SUPERINTENDENTS AND TEACHERS. 



BY 



FRANK BEARD. 



NEW EDITION FOR THE MILLION. 



NEW YORK : TjB^b^ ~Jf 

EXCELSIOR PUBLISHING HOUSE, * 
T. J. CAREY & CO., Proprietors, 
26 City Hall Place. 



^ 6 

<-"N«kKSS 




Entered, according to act of Congress, in the year 1877, 

BY JESSE HANEY & COMPANY, 

In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 



Copyright, 1896, 
By T. J. CAREY & CO. 



TO 

That True Friend and Christian Gentleman, 

REV. ALBEET D. VAIL, 

Through whose simple Black-board teachings I was 

first led to search the Scriptures and my own 

heart, this little book is faithfully 

and affectionately inscribed by 

THE AUTHOR. 



THE BLACK-BOARD 



IN THE 




SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



FRANK BEAED. 



CONTENTS, 



+ 

CHAPTER. PAGE. 

I. Introductory — Use of the Black-board 

in Religious Instruction 13 
II. Rudiments of Drawing on the Black- 
board — Hints for Practice 16 

III. Perspective 26 

IV. Simple Marks and Remarks - - -42 
V. Geography on the Black-board 48 

VI. Lettering - 55 

VII. Alliterations, Acrostics, &c. 61 

VIII. Pictorial Teaching - - - 69 

IX. "Chalk Talks" ..... 83 

X. Chalk Sermons 104 

XI. Rudiments of Drawing the Human 

Head, Face, and Figure - - 117 

XII. The Use of Color on the Black-board - 126 

XIII. Reviews ....... 134 

XIV. Allegories ------ 152 

XV. Some Objections Considered - - - 163 

XVI. Types and Symbols .... 171 

XVII. Emblematic Bible Service - - - 192 

XVIIX Conclusion 203 



PREFACE. 



Withih the last few years the use of the Black-board 
has greatly extended in our Sunday-Schools. Xot only 
has it proved available for a much wider range of illustra- 
tion than was at first imagined, but the number of super- 
intendents, teachers and ministers who appreciate its value 
is growing with great rapidity. 

The development of this form of presenting Scriptural 
lessons is not due to any one person, though a number 
might be honorably named in this connection. It was 
owing principally to the intrinsic merits of the system. 
At first the board was used to delineate the boundaries of 
countries, course of rivers, and other topographical feat- 
ures of the lesson ; then for memoranda of important 
points in the lesson, which it was found useful to keep 
prominently before the eyes and minds of the class. From 
this stage the development was rapid, and we now find the 
Black-board one of the prominent and effective instru- 
ments in the Sunday-School work. 

There are two features in the Sunday-School system ; first, 
the actual religious and moral instruction and the spiritual 
development which these are intended to lead to ; and, 
second, those incidentals, such as anniversaries, concerts, 
pic-nics, and the like, which, though merely adjuncts, are 
useful in promoting an interest in the Sunday-School, and 
making its associations pleasant. 

The Black-board possesses much of the attractiveness of 
these extraneous things, with the further advantage that 



Xll. PREFACE. 

it makes the lesson itself attractive, and stimulates interest 
in the actual work of the school. 

The purpose of the present volume is to show how the 
Black-board can be used in the Sunday-School, and to 
furnish such instruction in drawing upon it, and other 
technical information, as shall enable all superintendents 
and teachers who desire to adopt it, to do so understand- 
ingly and effectively. 

The author has no expectation or wish that the Black- 
board should monopolize the Sunday-School, or supplant 
other useful forms of instruction. The field is so large 
that we cannot afford to do without any instrument which 
proves effective as a means of winning souls to Christ. 

The same system of illustration designed for the Black- 
board can be advantageously used in class instruction with 
a slate, when a black-board is not readily accessible. 



THE 



BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL 



INTRODUCTORY— USE OF THE BLACK-BOARD IN 
RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION. 

If this should meet the eye of a trained teacher — in 
whatever else we may differ — we will agree when I assert 
that telling is not teaching. The pupil must not be a list- 
ener only, but an actor ; there is always a work for the 
scholar as well as for the teacher ; the instructor does not 
carry the listener, but is only the guide who leads and 
points out the way. If the student would follow he must 
exert himself; there is no royal road to knowledge. 

Now, the Sunday-School has not that power and au- 
thority which backs the secular school; the very nature 
and end of our aim forbid coercive measures, and our 
scholars must be induced to learn, hence our lessons must 
be attractive. 

The teacher ( ?) who sits and drones out forty minutes 
of precious time with lesson-paper in hand — because with- 
out the paper he knows less than his class about the lesson 
— such a teacher, who has bestowed no thought and care 



14 THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 

upon the lesson before entering his class, is not going to 
be of much service in leading heads and hearts to a knowl- 
edge of the truth. 

There is a latent love of truth in every mind, but it 
needs stimulant, it must be excited, quickened, fostered ; 
especially is it desirable to present spiritual truth in a way 
that will arrest attention and impress the mind. 

When the "Great Teacher" unfolded to his disciples and 
others the great truths of holiness, He spoke in parables, 
or painted pictures in words, and so simple and beauti- 
ful are these word- pictures, that children delight to hear 
them, and the impression that they make upon the mem- 
ory is seldom erased. In uttering these words our Lord 
spake "as never man spake,*' and yet the common people 
heard him gladly. Even the miracles which our Lord 
wrought are symbolical pictures of spiritual miracles which 
He will ever perform to those who believe on Him. Thus 
we learn that His way, and perhaps the only way, of con- 
veying an abstract, or spiritual idea, is by comparison with 
analogous things apprehended by the natural senses; to 
speak simply — by illustration. 

If you were commissioned to teach a child the nature 
of a circle, would you begin by stating that a circle is an 
area, having for its center a point, and bounded by a cir- 
cumference in the nature of an endless imaginary line, 
which at all points is at an equal distance from the center 
— and require the learner to commit this definition to 
memory? No, reader. Being a person of sound judgment 
you would do nothing of the sort, but you would dem- 
onstrate its nature and properties through the sense of 
sight by having the figure drawn in black and white before 
the learner's eyes. 

One word more. Do not say to yourself at the outset 
that you cannot hope to use the chalk with profit. Many 
are apt to think some extraordinary genius is necessary to 



THE BLACK-BOARD 12* THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 15 

fit a teacher to use the black-board. It is a mistake ; you 
can teach better with a pencil than without. You can 
learn to draw far better than you ever imagined possible, 
and that at the saciifice of comparatively little time and 
labor ; you can habituate yourself to think illustration na - 
urally as you study your lesson. 

You may put your illustration in a way that will im- 
press the mind and heart— providing you have average 
intelligence, a hand to hold a pencil, and a consecrated 
heart. 




II. 



RUDIMENTS OF DRAWING ON THE BLACK-BOARD. 
HINTS FOR PRACTICE. 

As a matter of course, the better a teacher can draw, 
the easier it becomes to convey picture ideas to the minds 
of others. 

Not that the teacher need be an accomplished artist 
to be able to do his legitimate work — indeed, the less he 
thinks of his artistic merit, the better it is for himself and 
his pupils ; but a slight knowledge of drawing and a few 
hints about handling the chalk or pencil are necessary to 
those who would use this method. 

Now, in speaking of "picture ideas/' elaborate concep- 
tions and compositions are not meant, but simply drawings 
of objects and things. To delineate even simple things, 
requires a little knowledge of perspective (which will be 
treated in another chapter), a moderate facility, and a con- 
fidence born of an easy^onscience, that is, a consciousness 
that you are able to present by an intelligent drawing, the 
object you wish to describe. 

"A good workman does not find fault with his tools, *' 
and yet I am inclined to think it is because "a good work- 
man" generally manages to get good tools ; so let us have 
the best we can obtain. 

The first and most important thing is a black-board, for 
practice. 

Do not let us have one of those hard, smooth, shining 
surfaces, made of heavy inch plank, and divided into 





THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 17 

several divisions by chasms a half inch wide. Do not let 
us have this, because it is just as cheap and easy to have 
a better. 

The best material for practice is a yard and a half of 
" stone-cloth," or aboard about four feet square, manu- 
factured by the N". Y. Silicate Slate Co. These can be 
ordered at any book store. 

The cloth rolls up easily; without damage to the surface 
it can be tacked on any flat wall quickly, and removed at 
pleasure ; in tacking your cloth you will 
find the thumb-tack the besfc to use, as 
it does not make so large a hole in the 
wall. These tacks can be had at any 
artist-material store, and cost about three cents 
apiece.* Put up your black-board, or rather cloth, in your 
study, in the attic, in the barn, or, in fact, in any place in 
which you are least subject to intrusion or interruption. 

Arrange it so that you can reach to the upper edge, 
without standing on your toes, and that will bring the 
bottom edge of the cloth (forty inches wide) about right. 

If your board is small, let the center be a little lower 
than your shoulder. 

Provide yourself with a stick of school chalk and you are 
ready for practice. 

If you have the stone-cloth, a piece of soft soapstone, or 
the prepared composition sold by the Silicate Slate Co., 
is better than the common chalk to draw with, because 
they do not create such a dust. 

Your cloth will be softer, and work better, if you lay 
some large sheets of paper smoothly between the cloth and 
the wall. 

Provided with chalk and black-board, we are ready to 
begin. 

* Small tacks stuck through little squares of stout paste-board will make good 
tacks fox the jpurposc {See fig. 3. ) 



18 THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUXDAY-SCHOOL. 

Now, do not imagine that we are to have a complete 
and exhaustive treatise on drawing, because no such at- 
tempt will be made in this work — there are good drawing 
books already in the market, which give complete and elab- 
orate systems of drawing — the purpose of this chapter is 
but to give useful and practical hints to the Sunday- School 
teacher. 

The beginner will feel a timidity upon taking up his 
chalk for the first time, analogous to the natural nervous- 
ness one feels upon taking up a strange weapon, and will, 
in most cases, begin to mark with a hesitating uncertain 
touch; in other words feel his way along. 




Avoid all such practices, and when drawing a line, draw 
it firmly, with decision and confidence. 

Practice drawing straight lines, at different angles, begin- 
ning by marking two dots, at short distances apart, and 
connecting them by as firm and straight a line as you can, 
bearing evenly upon your crayon with a uniform pressure, 
until your line is complete. 




Having gained a little confidence and accuracy in draw- 



THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



19 



ing short lines, gradually extend them to greater distances. 

This practice not only trains your hand, but also trains 
your eye into observing and judging distances, relative pro- 
portions, &c. 

When you are convinced that you are making some head- 
way in drawing one line, a second step is to draw a number 
of straight lines, running parallel to each other at equal 
distances apart. 




Draw deliberately. Think what you are going to do 
before starting off. Satisfy yourself where you are to 




begin and where you are going to stop, and then dp it. 
Do not rub out a line until you have your surface cov- 



20 



THE BLACK-BOARD IX THE SUXDAY-SCHOOL. 



ered; by observing these rules you will acquire a habit of 
carefulness which is the first and most important element 
of success. 

From simple lines we will proceed to elementary forms. 

It would be a source of great convenience to have your 
board ruled off into squares of five to ten inches; perma- 
nent lines painted with a fine brush, and of a color closely 
approximating to the black surface of your board, a dark 
blue, for instance, in order to be invisible at a little dis- 
tance, but apparent within a yard of the board. If this is 
a more elaborate preparation than you wish to give, there 
is another plan, i. e., along the edges of your board, if it 
be a wooden one, with a frame, into this frame drive small 
nails, at equal distances apart. Let the nails be very small, 
without much, if any, head, drive them accurately and 
neatly, then provide yourself with a flat ruler, long enough 
to reach from one edge of the board to the other. 




Then by simply placing your ruler close to the board 
and resting the edge against corresponding tacks at each 
extremity you can easily divide your board up into equal 
squares. 

This arrangement is not only useful for the purpose to 
be stated, but useful in numberless ways, and of great con- 
venience to the teacher, 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



21 



m 



i 




i 







m 



When you have obtained your squares, fix your points, 
as in the above copy, and then connect them, developing 
simple figures. Vary your practice by changing the points 
and figures. 




In using this method the learner will involuntarily ac- 
quire a knowledge of principles of proportions and relations 
of lines which will be of the greatest service. 

This method is also used to make accurate copies. For 



22 THE BLACK-BOAED II* THE SUKD AY-SCHOOL. 

example, if your board be squared, produce the following: 





mBMmwm 



By giving heed to the different squares you cannot go 
astray. And now, when some skill is acquired, try to 
draw them without the aid of the squares. If you fail, do 
penance on the squares again. 

Having by this time acquired a fair control over your 
hand, it is time to venture on curved lines. 

Here again, we begin with points to guide us. Let us 
try a simple curve or arc. 



Our first attempts will probably be like the following: 



But, if we have two points (imaginary or otherwise) we 
shall at least get our ends to correspond. And then, by ad- 
ding a straight line, the task becomes less difficult. 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 23 

Then proceed to more difficult examples like the follow- 
ing specimen-: 




Almost every one is familiar with the story of the Italian, 
Giotto, who drew a circle without any mechanical aid, fur- 
ther than a free hand and correct eye, and thereby won a 
great reputation and secured a good job from the Pope. 

We often want to use a circle in our black-board work, 
and we would find it more convenient to draw it with one 
sweep of the arm, than by elaborate preparations with 
chalk, tack and string, were it possible — well that is not 
only possible, but easy to do — and when we once get the 
trick of it, Giotto loses his reputation. 

To describe a circle, let the pupil stand with his right 
side opposite the board, keeping in mind that the nearer 
he stands to the board, the larger the circle will be. 

Hold the arm out straight from the body, so that the 
hand is exactly parallel with the shoulder (fig. 18). Where 
the chalk now touches, will be the center of the circle ; 
then, holding the arm perfectly stiff, but allowing the wrist 
free play, drop the arm down the board until half the dia- 



24 



THE BLACK-BOARD IX THE SUXDAY-SCHOOL. 





Fig. 18. 



Fig. 19. 



meter of the circle you wish to draw is measured from the 
center to the chalk, (fig. 19). 

Then not too slowly, with a light and even pressure, swing 
the arm forward, and let it naturally describe the circle — 
not forgetting to hold the arm perfectly stiff, and give at- 
tention to the management of the hand, according to the 
dotted lines in fig. 1 9. 

One of the difficulties which the untrained "blackboard- 
er" experiences, is in obtaining an even balance, when at- 
tempting to draw objects with corresponding 
sides. An inexperienced hand will find it 
troublesome to draw both sides alike, as in a 
heart. There is no great difficulty in com- 
pleting one side, but the trouble lies in the 
difficulty of drawing the opposite side to cor- 
respond w th the one completed. Our first 
attempts generally give us results like those shown on the 
following page. 

Now it is practicable for any one to conquer this diffi- 
cult by observing a simple principle — that is, to have 
a skeleton first, upon which to build, the skeleton to * 
be simply the combination of a horizontal and a per- 




THE BLACK-BOARD I]* THE SUKDAY-SCHCOL. 25 




pendicular line forming a cross. Then, by using your cross 
as a guide, and carefully observing the relative proportions 
of each division as you proceed, the difficulty will be greatly 
— and with experience, entirely — obviated. Observe that 
each extremity of the horizontal line marks the widest sweep 
of the curve, representing the side of the heart, while the 
perpendicular regulates the top and bottom of the figure. 




This principle should be observed in drawing any object 
with corresponding sides, the cross not being arbitrary as 
the skeleton, but horizontal and perpendicular lines inter- 
secting at right angles, and varied to suit the form pro- 
posed. 





IIL 



PERSPECTIVE. 

Maxy teachers possessing a certain degree of skill in the 

use of chalk and crayon are, through ignorance of necessary 
rules, entirely at a loss, in attempting to draw the simplest 
thing correctly. 

The following pages have been adapted, as much as pos- 
sible, to the needs of the teacher — to enable the student 
to arrive at successful results from the simplest means. 
Unnecessary technical terms will be carefully avoided and 
prolix explanations eschewed. 

The terms to be used in subsequent explanations are as 
follows : 

The Picture, or the plane of delineation, is the flat sur- 
face on which the sketch or drawing is made. The picture 
may represent only one object, as a cross or a tree, figs. 25 
and 26. Or may embrace a number of objects, i. e., across 
and tree, &c, fig. 27; or may take within its limits the 




Fig. 25. Fig. 26. Fig. 27. 

whole interior of a room, or many miles of landscape. 



THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 27 

When a person, looking at any object through a window, 
with his eye continually fixed in one place, draws with a 
pencil on a pane of glass the form of the object exactly as 
it is seen through it, that pane of glass is the picture, plane 
of the picture, plane of delineation, perspective plane, or 
transparent medium. 

Every picture should have a center. This does not mean 
the center of the plane on which the picture is drawn, as 
the center of the picture may be located on one side of the 
plane, as shown at C, in fig, 28. 




Fig. 28. 

The center of the picture is the point directly oppo- 
site the eye; at this point all lines receding from the spec- 
tator, at right angles with the picture vanish. 

The Horizontal Line means simply the line which marks 
the horizon. If you stand on the shore of the ocean and 
look over the waters, the line you observe dividing them 
from the sky is the horizontal line. 

This line is always directly opposite the range of the 
eye. Wherever the spectator may be placed, whether on a 
low plain, or a high mountain, the horizon is always on a 
line with the eye, figs. 29 and 30. 

On this line the center of the picture is always placed, 
and all lines not parallel with the picture vanish. 



28 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



Point of Distance is the point marking the distance in- 
tervening, between the spectator's position and that point 
of ground directly in front of him, where the purposed 
picture ought properly to commence. 




Fig. 29. 



Fig 30. 



Vanishing Point is any point in the picture where lines 
not parallel with the picture meet, as in fig. 31, in which V 
P is the vanishing point of the top and bottom lines of the 
transparent box, A B being the horizontal line. 

Vanishing lines are parallel lines not parallel with the 
plane of the picture, which meet in a vanishing point. In 
fig. 31 the lines marked V L are the vanishing lines of the 
top and bottom of the box. 

Base Line is the bottom of the picture. 

Line of Contact is a perpendicular line erected on the 
base line at the point of contact upon which all real hights 
of objects are marked, and carried thence into the 
perspective work by lines to the respective vanishing 
point. 




Fig. 31. 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



20 



Point of Contact is the point where the bottom line of 
one of the principal sides of the object continued to the 
base line intersects it. 

Tomt of Distance is a point set off on either or both 
sides of the center of the picture on the horizontal line, 
and represents the distance of the spectator from the pic- 
ture. This distance should never be less than the whole 
length of the picture, but may be more. 

Lineal Perspective may be divided into two kinds, 
parallel and oblique. 

Parallel Perspective is when one side. of the object is 
parallel to the picture, as in the little hut infig. 35. 

Oblique Perspective is when the principal sides of the 
object are not parallel to the picture, as in fig. 31. 

All lines perpendicular to the plane of the picture, must 
terminate at the center of the picture, as in accompanying 
illustration, C making the center of picture, fig. 32. 




Pig. 32. 



The base line, B D, must, in every case, be parallel with 
the horizontal line H H. 

Of course, the point of sight must always be on the 
horizontal line. 

The higher you raise your horizontal line, the more 
plane is revealed in the picture See figs. 33 and 34, at the 
head of next page. 



30 



THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 




Fig. 33. 



Fig. 34. 



In drawing the following examples, a scale of inches, 
divided into 12ths, and which may be easily made on a piece 
of paper, will be requisite. 

TO DRAW A LINE OF TREES NOT PARALLEL TO THE 

PICTURE. 

The Scale represents 12 yards to an inch. 

Let ABCD (fig. 35) be the picture, E P the horizontal 
line, G the center of the picture, H I the line on which 
the trees are supposed to be growing, I the point of con- 
tact, and I K the line of contact. Lay off the length of 
the picture from the center of the picture, G to L, which 
will give the point of distance, L; and remark that this 
must always be on the contrary side of the vanishing line 
to be divided. Thus, when the vanishing line runs up- 
ward from right to left, the point of distance must be 
laid off to the right of the center of the picture, and vice- 
versa. 

Now, suppose the first tree to be twelve yards from the 
picture. On the base line C D from the point of contact 
I, lay off twelve yards to a; draw the line L a, and the 
place where it intersects the line I H at I, will be the 
position of the first tree. 

Suppose the second tree (2) to be six yards from the first 



THE BLACK-BOARD IX THE SUXDAY-SCHOOL. 31 



ft \\ 




32 THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUXDAY-SCHOOL. 

tree; from the point a, along the line C D, toward the 
left hand, lay off the distance a b, equal to six yards; 
draw the line L b, which will give the place of the second 
tree at 2. 

Suppose the third tree (3) is nine yards from the second 
tree; from the point b, along the base line, lay off the dis- 
tance b c, equal to nine yards; draw the line L c, which 
will give the position of the third tree; and so proceed 
with all the other trees, extending the base line to 
make it long enough to lay off on it the other dis- 
tances. 

For the hights of the trees— Suppose the first to be 
eighteen yards high; on the line of contact I K from the 
point of contact I, lay off the distance I x, equal to 
eighteen yards; draw the lines x H which will give the 
hight of the first tree. 

The second tree (2) is twelve yards high; on the line of 
contact lay off the hight I y, equal to twelve yards; 
draw the line y H, which will give the hight of the second 
tree. 

The third tree is fifteen yards high; on the line of 
contact lay off the hight I z, equal to fifteen yards, 
draw the line z H, and it will give the hight of the third 
tree. 

And so proceed for the hights of all the other trees. 

This problem is extremely useful in all the other prob- 
lems in perspective, as it is by this rule that all distances 
along- a line maybe found; in the breadth and hights of 
.» indows, doors, arches of bridges, &c. 

The next problem will be in parallel perspective. 



THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUKDAY-SCHOOL. 33 




34 THE BLACK-BOAKD IX THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 

TO DRAW A HOUSE, ONE SIDE OF WHICH IS PARALLEL 
TO THE PICTURE. 

The Scale represents 12 feet to an inch. 

Let A B C D be the picture (fig. 36), E F the horizontal 
line, G the centre of the picture, and a the nearest corner 
uf the house. From G lay off the length of the picture 
along the horizontal line, which will give the point of dis- 
tance, H. 

Drawing the vanishing line G I through the corner a for 
the bottom of the house, and I will be the point of contact. 
Draw the line I z for the line of contact. 

Suppose the length of the house is 18 feet; from the 
point of contact I, lay off along the base line the distance 
I x, equal to 18 feet; draw the line G x, then draw the 
line a I for the bottom of the house. Note. — Any line 
drawn parallel with the horizontal line betw T eeii the lines G 
I and G x will be 18 feet long. 

Suppose the hight of the house to be 12 feet; on the 
line of contact I z, lay off the distance I o, equal to 12 
feet; draw the line o G; then between the lines G I and 
G o draw the perpendicular line a c, and from i the per- 
pendicular b d exactly the same length as a c; next draw 
the line d c, and the front of the house is finished, except 
the windows and doors. 

Suppose the house end to be 12 feet broad; first draw 
the line IT //. pa^iim through the corner of the house a, 
which will show that the house is 18 feet distant from the 
picture. From h lay off 12 feet to g. Draw the line H g y 
and the part from a to i of the line G I, which lies between 
the lines H h and H g, will form the bottom of the house. 
Draw the perpendicular line i k between the lines o G and 
I G, and the house end is finished, except the peak of the 
gable. Note. — To find the center of a square in perspec- 
tive, draw two diagonal lines from corner to corner, and 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN" THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 35 




^S 



36 THE BLACK-BOARD IX THE SUKDAY-SCHOOL. 

where they intersect each other will be the center of the 
square. 

Suppose the hight of the ridge of the roof above the 
front of the house to be 6 feet; on the line of contact I % 
lay off the space %), equal to G feet, and draw the line 
p G. Then draw the diagonal lines, a k, c i, and a per- 
pendicular line through the point where the diagonals in- 
tersect each other, and the point r, where that perpendicu- 
lar intersects the line p Q, will be the peak of the gable 
from which the ridge of the roof is to be drawn. In order 
to obtain the peak of the other gable end of the house, the 
best method is to suppose the house transparent and the 
gable end seen through it. 

Draw the line d G; then draw a line parallel with the 
base line from i till it intersects the line x G- at s, and it 
will form the bottom of the farthest side of the house; 
draw the perpendicular line from s till it intersects the line 
d G, and the house end will be complete, except the peak 
of the gable, to find which, draw the diagonals and per- 
pendicular, as was done in making the other end. Draw 
the horizontal line from r till it intersects the perpendicu- 
lar, at v, and you will then have the ridge of the roof; the 
line v d being next made, the house will be finished, except 
the windows and door. 

Suppose the distance of the door from the end of the 
house to be 3 feet, the breadth of the door 3 feet, the 
distance from the door to the window, 6 feet; lay off 
all these distances from the point of contact 1, along tiie 
base line, to 1, 2, 3, 4; draw the lines Gl, G2, G3, G4, and 
the point where these lines intersect the line of the bottom 
of the house will indicate the position of the door and 
windows, for by drawing perpendicular lines the sides of 
them will be given; and their hights may be laid off 
along the line of contact and trnnsforrH to the line a o 
of the house, from whence horizontal lines drawn across 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN" THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 37 

the house front will give the tops and bottoms of the win- 
dows and door. 

By this problem it will be seen that all lines and flat 
surfaces which are parallel to the picture never vanish; 
that they remain the same, whether they are upon the point 
of sight, or on either side of it. 

TO DRAW A HOUSE IN OBLIQUE PERSPECTIVE 

The Scale represents 12 feet to an inch. 

Let A B D (fig. 37) be the picture, P P the horizontal 
line, and G- the center of the picture. Prom the center of 
the picture Gr, draw the perpendicular line Gr H, equal to 
the length of the picture. Let a be the nearest corner of 
the house, and draw the line a. b, for the bottom of the 
house, continuing till it interseets the horizon at I, 
whicd will be the vanishing point of that side of the 
house. 

To find the vanishing point of the other side of the 
house, draw the line I II, and then from the point H, at a 
right angle with the line I H, draw the line H M, and 
the point M, where it intersects the horizontal line, will be 
the vanishing point. 

It is now necessary to lay down two distance points, one 
for each vanishing point. With a pair of compasses 
measure the distance I H, and lay it off along the horizon- 
tal line from I to v, which will be the distance-point for 
the side a i. Then lay off the distance M H, from M to 
X, which will give the distance-point of the other side of 
ilie house. Draw the line V a, till it intersects the base 
line at I. Suppose the house-end to be 12 feet broad; lay 
off along the base line the distance from 1 to 2 equal to 12 
feet; draw the line V 2, and part of the line a I, which is 
cut off by the lines V 1, and V 2 will give the bottom of 
the house. The other side of the house is in all 15 feet; 
that is, 3 feet from the corner to the door; the door, 3 
feet; the space from the door to the window, 3 feet; the 



38 



THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



breadth of the window, 3 feet; space from the window to 
the corner, 3 feet. Draw the line X a till it intersects the 
base line at 3; then from 3 lay off the distances 3 — 4, 4 — 5, 
5 — 6, 6 — 7, 7 — 8, and draw the lines- X 3, X 4, X 5, X 6, 
X 7, X 8. Perpendiculars erected from the points where 
these lines intersect the line M a, will give the sides of the 
door and windows and the corners of the house, 

To obtain the different hights of the house, door, win- 
dows, &c, two lines of contact will be necessary, and to 
find the two points of contact the lines I a and M a must 
be continued till they intersect the base line at and P, 
whence the lines of contact N and P L must be erected. 
On N are laid off the hights of the side a b, and on P 
L those of the other side, as in fig. 11. 

REPRESENTATION OP HORIZONTAL STRAIGHT LINES PER- 
PENDICULAR TO THE PLANE OF THE PICTURE. 

Let the student suppose himself sitting with his back 
against one of the walls of a rectangular room. The wall 
opposite to him is parallel to that behind him, and conse- 
quently to the plane of his picture in that position. The 
two remaining walls being at right angles to that opposite 
to him are evidently perpendicular to the plane of the 
drawing, and all horizontal right lines on those two walls 
are also perpendicular to that plane, and will appear to 
tend toward a point immediately opposite to his eye. 




Fig. 38 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



39 



H H (tig. 38) is the horizontal line or level of his sight, 
the point opposite his eye, and that point toward which 
all horizontal right lines on the walls A and B appear 
to slant; though in reality they are perpendicular to the 
wall at C. 

The lines 1 and 2, where the ceiling and the side walls 
meet, and 3 and 4, the lower limit of the walls, as well as 
the horizontal lines of the door and its panels, are in 
that position of the spectator, all perpendicular to the 
plane of the opposite wall, and, therefore, to the plane of 
the drawing. 

The representation upon the plane of the paper, of a 
horizontal straight line ought to be carefully and dis- 
tinctly apprehended. The effects of the projection or 
drawing of these different positions of the horizontal 
straight line may be understood from the following dia- 
grams and explanations. Let a straight line be placed 
horizontally before the sight, and in a direction perpen- 
dicular to the vertical plane; but let it be a little above, or 
a little below, the level of the eye; it will appear as if per- 
pendicular to the ground. (See fig. 39.) 



c 



Fig. 39. 



Thus C is the point opposite the eye; 1 and 2 represent 
a straight line held immediately above or below the level 



40 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



of the sight at C. The line will now seem to the eye to be 
perpendicular to the ground; the alteration being, in fact, 



Fig. 40. 

the apparent diminution of the line as to its length. Now, 
if it be placed above the level, as before, and be removed 
to the right or left, it will appear as in fig. 40. 

And if below the level of the sight, it will appear to 
take such a direction as this : 



rig. 4i. 



But if on the right or left of the eye, on & perfect level, 
and either oblique or perpendicular to the plane of the 
picture, it will fall into the horizontal line thus: 



And, lastly, if placed immediately opposite to the eye, 
the projection will be a point, (•) the end, as it were, being 
alone visible. 

It is not expected that the learner will map out every 
simple object which he desires to draw, in this elaborate 
manner; yet these rules and principles should be always 
kept in mind. If you cannot get your perspective to look 
right, prove it by rule, for you may be sure that if it does 
not look right, it is not right. 

In giving these few hints, the author's intention is 
hardly more than to remind teachers that a slight knowl- 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



41 



edge of the principles of perspective is important to all 
who attempt to do more than merely figure and write on 
the board. The teacher will see by the following illustra- 
tions the value of true, and the deformity of false per- 
spective.* 




Fig. 42. 



Fi0r.43. 




Fig. 44. 



Fig. 45. 



Figs. 42 and 44 show examples of false perspective, and 
figs. 43 and 45 show examples of true perspective. 



* For a portion of these remarks on Perspective, I am indebted to "Sketching 
from Nature in Pencil and Water Colors, and Drawing and Painting in Colored 
Crayons," published by Jesse Haney & Co., in their series of Art Manuals. I have 
not hesitated at doing this, because 1 should have said substantially the same things 
if the writer from whom 1 have borrowed had not already said them. Besides, I am 
glad of an opportunity to repeal what i have said to friends and correspondents who 
have done me the honor of asking my aavice ou the selection of books likely to aid 
them in art Btudies — namely, tnai in J serie. referred to furnish sound, practical in- 
formation on tue various topics treated, auo are most excellent guides, especially for 
self-instruction. 



IV. 



SIMPLE MARKS AND REMARKS. 

Unquestionably the best way of teaching from the 
black-board is to work the chalk and "talk" in together, 
so that they may mutually explain one another, and unite 
in developing the truth. 

Let the marks on the board grow toward their completion 
with the remarks of the teacher. 

This needs some practice and experience. The practice 
can be obtained at home, by going through an imaginary 
lesson with the pupils ; the experience must be acquired 
with the school or class. 

It is a good plan to place, in neat and legible letters, a 
scriptural text upon the board previous to the opening of 
the school — one which signifies something in relation to 
the lesson of the day, as it often gives food for thought 



19.30.46. John X:\-tt. 



Is My Shepherd 



Fig. 46. 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN" THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL, 43 

to the teachers and pupils, suggesting queries and an- 
swers. It also shows that some one is alive to the in- 
terest of the school. The illustration given in fig. 46 is a 
suggestion for the arrangement of the board. 

The figures on the left are the numbers of the songs t< 
be sung, that all may have their places. The Scriptural 
reference on the right, is the reading lesson for the 
day. 

The following is another example of simple black-board 
work. It is one of Samuel W. Clark's, of Newark, and 
taken from the Black-Board Manual (a regular placer for 
Sunday-School pirates) without permission. 

It is simple and impressive, aye, more, it is affecting, and 
tells the whole story: 



WHAT SIN COST. 


Jesus 


r Died 


FOR ME. 


SHALL I LIVE FOR HIM! 



"Every wrong thing we do hurts some one — costs some one 
sorrow and pain. When we do any wrong thing, our own 
hearts feel the shame and pain, and our parents are made 
sorry, and when we are punished for doing wrong, that is 
only one of the things our fault has cost us. 

" But as every disobedience of our fathers and mothers 
will cost us pain and sorrow and punishment, so every dis- 
obedience of our Heavenly Father's will costs us grief and 



44 



THE BLACK-BOARD IX THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



unhappiness. Sin costs the sinner a great deal. Let us 
see to-day what sin costs: 

"It has cost us the loss of God's love in our hearts. AVe 
cannot have his love there while we sin: and that brings 
another thing which it costs us. A little girl who had 
done wrong, said that she 'had lost the happy out of her 
heart,' It costs us the happy feeling we can only have 
when we feel those we ought to please are pleased with us. 
It costs us heaven, for we cannot dwell with God while our 
hearts are unholy/ 5 

But sin has cost more than this. Jesus died on the cross 
for us. Xo one could save himself by dying, but the Son 
of God, who never sinned, gave himself for sinners — for 
you and for me. Since he died for us, shall we not try 
and live for him ? 

The three following examples are valued contributions 
from the board of Walter C. Tisdel, of Painesville, Ohio: 



PAUL 
APOLLOS 



MAY 



PLANT 
WATER 



UNLESS GrOD BLESS WE 
LABOR ircXR. NAUGHT 

JESUS' SAKE 

BLESS US TO-DAY. 



Cor. 1:3. 



THE FEASTS. 



=jg: PASSOVER 
=jET PENTECOST I 
TABERNACLE 



THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 45 

MOSES SAVED IK THE ARK. 



THE LORD JESUS. 

-Advocate 
OUR < Redeemer 
King 



Exodus 2 : 10. 



We, as teachers, should always bear in mind that our 
mission is to teach ; to teach the truth in relation to both 
literal and spiritual things. 

The black-board is in the Sunday- School to attract at- 
tention to the truth, and to demonstrate and explain it. 
Whether the truth lies in the shape and position of the 
river Jordan, or in man's relation to God. 

Therefore, it behooves us to be as simple as the case will 
allow. 

Illustration should be a light to reveal the truth, and not 
a curtain, however richly wrought, concealing it. 

An illustrated lesson may be very simple and plain, and 
yet cover up every available space upon the board ; then, 
again, it may not ; but this subject will be treated in 
another chapter. 

What would you think of a man who wanted to sell what 
he called "a patent seed planter," which, in the process of 
its workings, would mangle and crush the seed, and leave 
it lying on the surface of the soil ? The black-board is a 
seed planter, and can be so used that it will so mangle and 
distort the truth as to cause it to loose all its germinative 
power. 



46 THE BLACK-BOARD IS" THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 

The impatient teacher, discouraged by the apparent in- 
difference of the class, is apt to say, "0, dear ! here I have 
been planting and planting, and I can't see that anything 
comes of it." Ah ! teacher, have you been planting? 
Have you bestowed the care and pains upon your lesson ; 
which the case requires ? Have you religiously sought f 01 
plans of teaching suited to the bent of each scholar's 
character and temperament ? Have you planted the seed ? 
Seed accidentally scattered may light upon good ground 
and increase sixty, or a hundred fold ; but the ground you 
have to form may not be good, so you must plant. It is 
the entrance of the word, which is effective. 

"The entrance of Thy word giveth light, It giveth understanding 
to the simple." Psalms CXXX. 130. 

We cannot always tell when the germ of truth is spring- 
ing into life in the heart of the child, watch we never so 
anxiously ; but let us plant ; it is always God that giveth 
the increase. 

Dropping into the rooms of the New York 
Sunday-School Union, one Saturday afternoon, 
I was much pleased by a simple illustration, 
given by a stranger who happened in. It is 
mentioned to show how easily any one who ob- 
serves and thinks, can find illustrations for 
the class. Perhaps the stranger was a farmer, 
for he drew his ideas from the field. The les- 
son brought up the topic of Pride and Hu 
mility. Drawing a seemingly beautiful stalk 
of wheat, in this way, he remarks that any 
farmer would tell you that was not the way 

Fig. 4:1 . 

that the f rait-bearing tree grew. He said there 
were stalks of wheat that held their heads up high above 
their neighbors ; they were called "old soldiers," and were 
utterly worthless, because they had nothing in their heads. 




THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



47 



Then he showed how the full and fruitful ear grew, bend- 
ing its head in meekness with the weight of blessings. 

"When full of God's grace we bow our heads humbly 
and thankfully. But the heart that is rilled with pride 
knoweth not its own foolishness." 




Fig. 48. 



GEOGRAPHY ON THE BLACK-BOARD. 

Maps drawn by the teacher on the black-board in the 
presence of the pupil, are much to be preferred, as a means 
of instruction, to printed ones. A more intelligent idea 
of Geography will be acquired by the learner from one les- 
son given according to this method, than from a half dozen 
lessons from prepared maps. 

Why? 

Because — 

It insures attention ; the moment your chalk presses 
the board you have the eager attention of every pupil. 

Because — 

It impresses the memory; children, as well as grown 
persons— or even in greater degree — remember that which 
has been a matter of interest to them. 

A child will climb upon its parent's lap and give a de- 
tailed description of the performance of an organ-grinder 
and a monkey which passed by the house. The parent 
will learn just how the little animal fired off his gun, and 
doffed his hat, and chattered and talked, and sometimes 
whom he resembled ! The child remembers all these 
details, because of the interest they excited at the time. 
The knowledge gained may be of no great use, but yet the 
child has gained knowledge. 

Now the chalk will often rival the monkey, in the mat- 
ter of exciting interest, and is vastly better as an educator 
when judiciously used. If not so used, give us the 
monkey ! 

Because — 



THE BLACKBOARD IX THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 49 

It impresses the pupil with a healthy respect for the 
knowledge and fitness of the teacher for the place. 

When the outlines are evolved from the chalk, so to 
speak, it is apparent to the simplest mind that the hand 
which holds the chalk is moved by an intelligent knowl- 
edge of the subject. 

Because of its great benefit to the teacher. 

Because, as you mark the lines out upon the board, by 
some psychological process, you are marking right on the 
mind of the scholar too. A teacher who had adopted this 
method, and every Sunday had drawn the map of Egypt, 
Arabia and Canaan, tracing the journeyings of Israel all 
through their wanderings, on Review Sunday laid aside 
the boa~d and, taking his finger, traced in the air certain 
forms, receiving explanations from the school, as the les- 
son progressed, until the whole story was geographically 
and historically told without a suggestive question, the 
motions of the finger answering almost entirely for ques- 
tion and suggestion. 

Maps are not hard to draw. 

You may draw them. 

Easily. 

There are three maps which the Sunday-School teacher, 
and especially the Superintendent, ought to learn to draw. 
Palestine, Egypt and Arabia, and the Scripture World, 
embracing portions of Europe, Asia, Africa, Arabia ; also, 
the Mediterranean, Black, Caspian, and Red Seas, and 
Persian Gulf. 

We will begin with Palestine. 

Decide on the size of your map by drawing a vertical 
line which will represent the course of the Jordan, A A. 
Divide this line into three equal divisions by drawing four 
horizontal lines crossing the vertical at right angles, B B, 
B B. Draw another vertical line at the left of the line 
A A, at a distance of one-third the length of the line A 



50 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 




GALILEE 




SAMARIA 



JUD/EA 



Now you have three 
squares and the matter 
of drawing the map be- 
comes a matter of geo- 
graphical knowledge, 
md not one of Draw- 
ing. 

The line A A, rep- 
Jordan. The line C C, 
the mean distance of 
the coast line from the 
Jordan. The square 1 
roughly indicates Ju- 
dea. The horizontal 
lines forming two sides 
of the square mark the 
length of the Dead Sea. 

Square 2, Samaria. 

Square 3, Galilee. 

A horzontal line D 
D, drawn through the 
center of the square will mark the positions of the Sea of 
Galilee and Mount Carmel, on the coast. 

Now you have only to get the coast line, and the outline 
is complete. 

Starting from about the middle of the horizontal line 
which marks the upper side of Square 3, draw a line 
downward, diverging gradually from the vertical, throw 
out a point for Mount Carmel, let your line continue in 
almost a uniform slant, crossing the vertical C C, about 
the middle of the side of Square 2. Continue it until it 
reaches a point parallel with the bottom of the Dead Sea 
(or Square 1), and you have the coast line. 

And now the cities, mountains, * rivers, &c, become 
simple matters ; only a few are marked in the illustration. 




THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUNDAY-SCHCOL. 



51 



The student will perhaps get a better conception of the 
idea by studying the diagram rather than the letter press. 



EGYPT AND ARABIA. 




A Square divided into four parts by horizontal and per- 
pendicular lines crossing at right angles in the center, 
will give the Key. After the explanation of the former 
nap. a detailed description is hardly necessary ; the whole 
idea lies in remembering the squares in separate pictures, 
and by drawing each division accurately it gives the rela- 
tive proportion of each part in respect to the whole. For 
example, we have in Square No. 1 only the delta filling 
the lower half of the division. No. 2, one-fourth the cir- 
cumference of a circle with a center at the point A, em- 



52 THE BLACK-BOARD 13" THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 

bracing the upper half of the Square. No. 3, Hogarth's 
line of beauty. No. 4 is marked by the Gulf of Suez and 
the Gulf of Akabah into a triangle. 

In drawing these maps hastily upon the board it is of 
the greatest importance that you should not pay any at- 
tention to the numberless promontories and indentations 
of the coast lines. Any effort to be accurate in such 
detail will be accompanied by confusion to both teachers 
and scholars. Make the general outlines and proportions 
as correct as possible. 

The Squares may be put upon the board with dark chalk 
previous to drawing the maps, but the maps should not be 
traced. 

THE SCRIPTURE WORLD. 

Three vertical lines at equal distances 
~~ apart. Let their length be equal to the 
distance between the two outside lines. 
Draw two horizontal lines across the 
three vertical ones, so as to form two 
perfect squares in the center of the fig- 
ure, as shown in our diagram, (fig. 52.) 

This gives us the key. Follow out the same plan as 
laid down in connection with former maps. 

Square 1. Marking by the left side the coast line of Pal- 
estine, extending up through Asia Minor, touching with 
the left upper corner the Black Sea ; the right upper 
corner penetrating the Caspian Sea, the left low r er corner 
the Dead Sea, and the right lower corner the Persian 
Gulf, embracing Palestine, Syria, Mesopotamia, Assyria, 
Chaldea, Media, and Arminia. A line draw r n diagonally 
across the square from the left upper corner to the Persian 
Gulf will give the direction of the two great rivers, Tigris 
and Euphrates. 

Square No. 2. Divide this square by a horizontal line 



THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUKDAY-SCHOOL. 53 




running through its center. The lower division will be 
the Mediterranean Sea. The upper, Asia Minor and 
Greece. The left side of this square will mark the western 
coast of Greece. The lower left corner will penetrate the 
cost of Africa. This much accomplished, the rest is but 



54 



THE BLACK-BOARD IX THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



a work of patience and practice. Of course this is a diffi- 
cult map in comparison with the other two, but just as 
important. 

A general idea of the shape and an accurate idea of the 
directions of the lakes, gulfs and rivers, is absolutely 
necessary for a successful attempt to draw a map. 




VI. 



LETTERING. 

Peactice is really the best teacher in regard to Letter- 
ing, and yet a few hints may be useful to those who have 
neither practice nor a knowledge of the proportion of 
letters. For the benefit of such I quote from Haney's 
"Manual of Sign, Carriage and Decorative Painting" the 
following useful information : 

"The Roman Italics differ from the capitals only by 
being slightly inclined from a perpendicular, and this in- 



^ # R 



clination should not vary much from an angle of sixty 
degrees, although natural taste has much to do with 
governing it. 

" The letter A is generally formed with more faults than 
any other in the alphabet, and in nine cases out of ten it 
is occasioned by spreading its angles too much. It should 
ot be wider than H or X, hair lines included. 

" The upper part of B, E, F, and R, should take up a 
particle less space on the main line of each letter than the 
lower part, and the upper, horizontal projecting curve of 
B and R should in the same proportion be a trifle the 
smallest. 

"The connecting bar of the letter H should be a trifle 
above the center of the letter. 



56 THE BLACK-BOARD IX THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 

"The perpendicular width of the curve for P should 
take up just half the length of the main limb of that 
letter. 

"The bottom curve of J is allowed a handsome sweep, 
so that the projecting horizontal line at its top and its 
curve will occupy the same space as C, G, S. 

"The upper curve of S should be smaller than the lower 
curve, and for this reason — the bottom of all letters should 
as near as possible form the base of their apparent struc- 
ture. 

"The middle top line of W is dispensed with, and that 
center limb terminates in a peak or point. 

"To form a curve to the last of R is preferable to a flat, 
straight termination, provided the curve be made full, and 
the- letter seems to stand firm. 

"The last limb of G should terminate at seven-sixteenths 
of its hight, or a little less than half its hight. 

"Eight letters, B, D, E, G, 0, P, Q, and T, will occupy 
the same space from left to right as they do in hight. 

"Six letters, C, F, J, L, S, and Z, will take one-six- 
teenth less width than hight. 

"M and W, one-sixteenth more width than hight. 

"I, one-half its hight wide. 

" If two lines are drawn upon a sign or sheet of paper, 
say half an inch apart, and eight compartments set off, 
half an inch square, B, D, E, G-, 0, P, Q, and T, each 
will fill one square and be well-proportioned letters. 

"Then divide off six compartments, one-sixteenth part 
.arrower than they are high, for C, F, J, L, S, and Z. 

" Then make nine compartments, one-sixteenth wider 
than they are high, for A, H, K, N", E, IT, V, X, and Y. 

"For M and W, allow one-sixteenth more width than 
hight; for I, one-half its hight; for &, one-eighth more 
width. than hight.. 

" These proportions will form a very graceful letter, but 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 57 

they can be either compressed or extended from this rule 
so as to suit both taste and space. 

"The small letters are more difficult to form than the 
large ones. The main body of thirteen letters, viz., a, b, 
d, g, h, r, n, p, q, u, y, x, and y, will occupy a square 
each. 

"The letters c, e, o, r 5 s, t, and y, require one-sixteenth 
less width than hight; i and 1, one-half their hight in 
width. 

"These relative proportions are given without the pro- 
jecting limbs above and below their main body, which 
projections should be one-half the hight of the main body 
of the letter. 

"The proportions for Italics are as follows : 

"Seven capitals. C, G, J, E, 0, Q, and S, occupy a 
square. 

"Sixteen letters, A, B, D, E, F, H, X, », P, R, T, XJ, 
Y, Y, Z, require one-sixteenth more width than hight ; 
M, three-sixteenths wider than high : W, two-sixteenths 
wider than high ; and I, one-sixteenth less ; with a given 
angle of from sixty to sixty-three degrees. 

"In the small alphabet, seven letters, viz., a, i, k, r, s, 
t, v, will occupy a square each, subject to the same rule 
regarding their projecting parts as given for the others, 
the small Roman letters. 

"Thirteen letters, b. d, f, g, h, j, n, p, p, u, x, y, z, 
will occupy one-quarter more width than hight : m, two- 
fifths more width than hight. 

"It may be observed here that the block-letter alphabet 
is of about the same proportion of hight and width as the 
Roman capitals, except in extra full lettering, for which 
proportions the additional thickness of the body of the 
letter must be added to the rules given in relation to the 
Roman. 

"All these letters are only varieties of those given above, 



58 



THE BLACK-BOARD IX THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



and are left to the taste of the painter. Practice, with the 
rules already given, will unfold much that cannot be writ- 
ten, and much that can only be attained by experience." 

It would be hard to give any specific instruction in re- 
gard to irregular sketching lettering. Almost any style of 
irregular letter will look well, providing all the other lei- 



FROMldt 



ters of the word or line harmonize. It often improves a 
letter to put a line of color beside it, indicating shade, 
always remembering that the shade should be in good 
perspective. (See figs. 56 and 57.) 

Fig. 58 shows the appearance of the letter when the 
shade is out of perspective : 




Fig. 56. 



Fig. 57. 




Fig. 58. 



To draw block letters easily, neatly and uniform, the 

teacher should use the square chalk, or "lecturer's crayon," 

fig, 59. This varies in size from a half-inch square to an 

inch square, and is about three inches 

in length. The advantage of this 

crayon is, that when pressed evenly on 

the board, it makes a broad, uniform 

line, the width of the crayon. 

Fig. 59. ^ little practice will enable the least 

skillful to produce a symetrical aud uniform letter. 




THE BLACK-BOARD Itf THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



59 




The common school chalk, made in sticks, will accom- 
plish the same result, if a piece be broken of the requisite 

size, and then the side of the chalk 
pressed against the board, as seen 
in the annexed engraving. 

Of course, this is not so conve- 
nient or perfect as the square. 

Emphasis should be indicated 
by making the word to be empha- 
sised in brighter colors or larger 
letters ; a thing to be avoided is 
giving undue prominence to un- 
important words ; an example of this fault is shown in fig. 
62. In figs. 63, 64, 65 and 66 are presented some hints for 
laying out the lettering upon the black-board. A graceful 




giljlll 

haK/el 

IN JESTJST- 



FRIEND 

We hcLvemr 

JESUS 



Fig. 62. 



Fig 6a 



60 



THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUSTDAY-SCHOOL. 



curve will frequently enhance the beauty not only of the 
individual line but of the entire design. Of course excess 
is to be avoided in this, as in any other good thing. 




VII. 

ALLITERATIONS, ACROSTICS, ANAGRAMS, fee. 

Every lesson suggests a leading thought or topic, such 
as Love, Faith, Gratitude, Hope, Growth, Obedience, &c 
With a little ingenuity these can be worked up into acros- 
tics, anagrams, types and pictures; but care should be 
taken that the point made is the point aimed at. Do not 
make the topic suit the conditions of your work, but make 
the work suit the conditions of your topic. 

Avoid bringing in a point you do not really want for the 
sake of an ingenious lesson. 

Alliteration is good when used in moderation, and for 
the purposes of assisting the memory, but complicated re- 
buses and far-fetched ingenuity are abominations in the 
Sunday-School. 

The following seem to haye been arranged, not for the 
sake of ingeniousness, but they seem to be ingenious for the 
sake of the lesson. They are simple, telling and interest- 
ing, the author claims credit for but few of them, as most 
have been taken from whateyer source afforded the supply, 
and doubtless some will be found in Mr. Samuel W. Clark's 
Black-Board Magazine. 

THE THREE R's. 



R 



UTS", By the Fall. 

EDEMPTION, .... By Christ. 
EGENERATION, - - By the Holy Spirit. 



62 



THE BLACK-BOARD IX THE SVXDAY-SCHOOL. 



Have the three words written on the board before your 
remarks, and bring out and write the other words as you 
proceed. 

This lesson is very full of Gospel truth, which the teacher 
will readily produce and utter. 

ACROSTICAL TEXTS. 

One good brother. J. K. F. Stites. of Camden. X. J.. i.s 
still lively, ''going about doing good'' in the service of the 
American Sunday Sehol Union. A peculiarity of his labor 
is his acrosticai sermons to children from texts of one word. 
On Sunday. Dec. 6th. he preached in the M. E. Church at 
Glassboro. X. J., from the following text and skeleton, 
making both a good object-lesson and black-board discourse: 



O-owardliness. 
^>-bstinateness. 
H-ebelliousness. 
ID-eceptioiL 

S-cornfulness. 

Proverbs, 5 : 21. 



He held five cords in his hand, and broke one of them to 
show the weakness of a single cord. Then he put two to- 
gether, then three, four, five. — and showed that the five- 
cords twisted together could not be broken even by a strong 
man. Having thus secured attention by an object-lesson, he 
impressed the truth that Satan was trying to bind cords 
around them, to hold them in the bonds of sin. The cords 
were as follows : 

1. Cowardliness. — Want of courage to do right. 

2. Obstinaieness. — Unwilling to yield even when con- 
vinced of wrong. 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



63 



3. Rebelliousness. — Against the commands of God. 

4. Deception. — Being misled, drawn aside, by Satan's 
cords, from right. 

5. Scornfulness. — Of all that is good and lovely. 

Let teachers illustrate and impress the above points, and 
profit by Brother Stites' lesson. We hope he will furnis^ 
us some of his lessons for our readers. 



ANOTHEB, 



fiat We Owe to 



Gratitude. 

Obedience. 

Devotion. 



When you see the name of God remember what is due 
Him. 

saul's death. 



X 


Sin, 




Willfulness, 


tr! 


Obduracy, 


Hi" 

m 


Rebellion, 


a 


Disobedience. 


1st Samuel 31 : 1-6. 



Walter, C. Tisdell, of Painesville, Ohio, contributes the 
following: 



64 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



For Matt, xxvii: 11-26, I put upon the board 
talked: 



Jesus 


Scourged 


Execrated 


Afflicted 


Spit upon 


Vilely treated 


Unlawfully tried 


Insulted 


Smitten 


Oppressed 




Unpitied 




Rejected 



BY REV. J. B. ATCHINSON. 



LEAEN OF ME 

CHARITY 
HUMILITY 
RIGHTEOUSNESS 
INNOCENCE 

SELF-DENIAL 
TRUTHFULNESS 



BUT YE 
RETHREW 
E NOT WEARY IN 



Watching and Praying, 
Examining Yourselves, 
Laying up Treasures, 
Loving one Another, 

Doing Good, 
Offering Praise, 
Imitating Christ, 
Noble Deeds, 
Giving for G-od. 



II. Thess. iii : 13. 



Matt. xxvi:41. 
2d Cor. xiii:5. 
Matt. vi:21. 
John xiii:14. 
Psalm xxxvii : 3. 
Psalm c. 
1st Peter ii: 21. 
Heb. x:24. 
2d Cor. xi:7. 



THE BLACK-BOARD IX THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 65 

The only thing to object to in the preceding beautiful les- 
son is the capital B, which is here forced to do unnecessary 
work, and is of no help to the memory, really meaning 
nothing. 



CHRISTIAN. 



Without Christ I am nothing. Erase the first syllable 
of the word and using the capitals in the last syllable, leave 
the black-board as below : 




These are enough to show the thinking teacher what is 
wanted. They are their own evidence of their value in aid- 
ing the memory of both teacher and scholar, of arranging 
the thoughts in an orderly manner and producing a com- 
plete analysis of the lesson, at the same time interesting 
the learner. 

But, alas ! like all good things and people in this world, 
the black-board is abused. The author honestly confesses 
that he does not possess the moral courage necessary to 



66 



THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



give all the extraordinary attempts that he has seen, because 
many are from the chalk of personal friends and the lessons 
could readily be recognized and hunted up by the reader. 
The author, being of a peaceable and amiable disposition, 
is desirous of keeping all his friends, and will, therefore, 
present only the anonymous : 



AN EXAMPLE. 




1 1 


j^Jtubborn ^ 




enitent 


| llaiil 




aul 


1 linned 




readied 


I ladly 




ure 


I aw 




rinciples 


^k tephen 




ersistently 


^ toned 


m 


ersevered 


scattered 


raying 


laints 


atiently 


■ 1 laughter ed 


ersuaded 


1 1 everal 


hillippians 


■L 1 atari 


ersecuted 


|Vr atisfied. j 


L anl. 


DO LIKEWISE. 



This is probably enough to give the reader a general idea 
of how this method can be, and is abused and misused. 
There are other illustrations almost as ridiculous as this be- 
fore me. But enough. 

There is a minor objection to be added in this connec- 
tion. Unless the black-board which the teacher is using 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHCOL. 67 

be very large, or the scholars in close proximity to it, there 
is difficulty in making out a complicated design where the 
parts are necessarily reduced to a smaller scale than could 
be used were there less elaboration in the design. Thus is 
added to the oppression and confusion of memory inciden- 
tal to the attempt to follow such confused designs, the 
physical difficulty of seeing them at all. The straining of 
the eyesight in the endeavor to make them out, is itself an 
evil, and the painful effort adds to the wearisomeness of 
the lesson. 

The author is open to conviction (though he doesn't 
believe any one can convince him) that rebuses are useful 
on a Sunday-School black-board. Such a sentence as, 
"Jesus stands at the door of my heart," is not made 
clearer or more forcible by substituting pictures of a door 
and a heart for those words. So used, the pictures are 
not symbols, bnt merely crude picture-writing, inferior to 
ordinary English. Supposing such rebuses had any merit 
as puzzles — which, usually, they have not— their tendency 
would seem to be toward a mere tournament of wits, 
between the teacher, aiming to construct hard nuts, and 
the school, striving to crack them. The solution of such 
puzzles merely brings the pupil back to plain English — 
with which it would seem preferable to have started. Un- 
less a picture helps the learner to a realization of the 
meaning of the lesson, or brings impressively to his mind 
the great truths of revealed religion, there is no propriety 
in its use in such connection. A text full of picturesque- 
iiees and impressiveness mayhave those qualities destroyed 
or hidden by its reduction to a mass of petty pictures 
which have no suggestiveness or symbolical value. They 
are like a good English sentence translated into bad 
French and re-translated back into worse English. 

As well might it be expected to teach the story of crea- 
tion by drawing a vague picture, having some resemblance 



68 



THE BLACK-BOARD IX THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



to an animal, on the board, and asking the pupil to guess 
whether it was a dog, a cow, an elephant or a man ; — or to 
impress the lesson of the confusion of tongues by distribu- 
ting fragments of a tea-chest to the class that they might 
make guesses as to the meaning of the hieroglyphics there- 
on. 




VIIL 

PICTORIAL TEACHING. 

Illustrative teaching is not to be governed by arbitrary 
rules, as mathematics or grammar, because it concerns the 
method of procedure, rather than the matter taught ; but 
it should.be governed by several rules of common sense 
and judgment, like anything else. We should, by all meains, 
exercise our ingenuity in arranging and developing the 
ideas embodied in the lesson, so that they may be brought 
out as plainly, forcibly and beautifully as possible; but, 
we should never sacrifice the end to the means. 

The natural, and perhaps the only way of conveying % 
new idea is by comparison with analogous things—by illus- 
tion, either in parable or pictures. > 

There is no doubt but that the alphabet grew put of an 
effort to symbolize thoughts by delineation of familiar^ 
things, and, I think, we make a mistake when we imagine I 
that children cannot understand allegorical, figurative or 
symbolical language or illustration when plainly and simply 
put ; for this is a primitive and natural way of conveying 
ideas, and when acted upon with judgment and due pre- 
paration, it becomes an element of pow;er for instruction. 

In dealing with eternal and infinite subjects and truths, 
we are compelled, sometimes^ to face abstract ideas. Thef 
faithful teacher will ever and anon find them blocking ;Up; 
the way, and they must be either evaded or explained,. ,;It 
is here that illustration will be found a vajuable help/' TJie.f 
simplest line -we can draw will sometimes seyye, tq ( iUusty&tet 



7U THE BLACK-BOARD US' THE SUXDAY-SCHCOL. 

an important truth. For example, here is a straight line 
drawn up and down. It illustrates the abstract idea of 
justice in this way — that it cannot yary and retain its 
character of a vertical line % it mast swerve neither to the 
right or left, but always remain upright and unchangeable: 
for as soon as it is changed, it is no longer a vertical line. 
The ancients regarded this as representing the Deity, on 
account of these properties. We may look at it through a 
distorting medium, an imperfect glass, and it will have the 
appearance oi being crooked, but this is an illusion. We 
sometimes look at dim justice through the medium of a 
warped intelligence, but it does not affect justice, which is 
the same yesterday, to-day, and forever. 
< ; As teachers, our purpose ought to be twofold ; to teach 
the truth, as a means of progress to those who have already 
turned toward God ; and as a means of preparation and 
invitation to those who are still careless. And although 
natural truths are properly used in promoting these ends, 
yet spiritual truths are the power which accomplishes the 
great work. 

These spiritual truths are not innate; they must be taught 
-^-taught by the aid of natural truths, just as the natural 
truth of the history of Israel is taught with spiritual lessons 
&id just as the complicated machinery of the temple, and the 
formal worship therein, were the "shadow of good things 
to come," — or as the Saviour's parables taught deep spiritual 
truths and heavenly lessons. 

-The Sunday-School, like a sun-glass, should gather to a 
focus all these rays of light and truth with a single pur- 
pose : to teach spiritual truths, — to direct them to the 
heart of the learner, and kindle the flame of heavenly af- 
fection. - - - . ; - j v* 

We may tell a naturally careless child about being "born 
again," and the little Nicodemus will scarcely have the 
faintest conception of our meaning, and will, in all proba- 



THE BLACK-BOARD 12* THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 71 

bility, pay more attention to the masticating of projectiles 
for the benefit of a neighboring class, or, perhaps, take a 
deeper interest in an effort to imitate a drum corps with his 
knuckles on the bench, than in listening to our exposition, 
however orthodox and conscientious it may be. 

But if we elucidate the doctrine which we wish to ad- 
minister by an illustration — it may be an anecdote, or 
better still, some analogous phenomenon in nature — hostili- 
ties will cease with the next class, and the drum corps be 
forgotten, while the eyes, once so full of mischief and 
mirth, will be fastened on us with that hungry gaze, so 
common to childhood, eager for the truth. 

To exemplify this lesson in Chalk : — 

Our first effort would be to show our natural relation 
(not normal relation) to God. To do this, we must repre- 
sent the Deity. How? By Christ. 

Shall we draw a portrait ? 

No. A type is better. A cross is good, but for our 
present purpose, a light is best. He is the Son of Kighteous- 
ness. The Light of the World, &c. 

The unconverted soul is all wrong ; its relations to God 
are the reverse of what they should be. It is like a man 
turned upside down. " The way of the wicked He turneth 
upside down." Psalm 146. 




72 THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 

But the figure does not end here. See, his back is to the 
Sun. He does not see the light ; the light being behind 
him, throws his shadow before him, and like all selfish 
souls, he sees himself always before ; to go on, is to go into 
deeper darkness and further from God. "If we say we 
lave fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, 
and do not tell the truth." I. John 1 : 6. 

How shall he be Saved ? 

Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved, but he that is 
perverse in his ways shall fall at once." 

Then, to be saved, he must walk upright ; to do this there 
must be a complete revolution. 

" Turn Thou me, and I shall be turned, for Thou art the 
Lord my God." Jer. 31 : 18. 

There is but one turning, and that is Repentance. Now 
his back is to the darkness and selfishness, and his face 
toward divine light, and truth. 




As an example of the value of eye teaching let us take 
the story of Ruth and Naomi. That the pupil may have 
an intelligent idea of the whole story, it is important that 
all the details should be remembered. 

Our first fact is that there were four personr who, owing 
to the famine, left Bethlehem, Judah, and went to Moab. 



THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUKDAY-SCHOOL. 73 

Query: Where is Bethlehem, Judah, and where is 
Moab ? 
Draw a map ; divide it into three provinces, Galilee, Sa- 
maria, and this is Judea, 
or Judah, and here is Be- 
thlehem. 

Now, this family prob- 
ably crossed over the Jor- 
dan, near Jericho, and trav- 
eled south to Moab. 

(Draw the line of the 
Journey. ) 

How many were there ? 
Their names ? We will 
put down their initials. 

Next, one of the family 
dies. Who ? We will cross 
his name off. Two are ad- 
ded to the family. Their 
names ? Put down the in- 
itials with the rest. 

Now the family is again 
afflicted and two more die. 
Who ? Let us cross off 
their names. How many 
rre left ? What were they ? Three widows. Three start to 
leave Moab (draw three lines) ; one goes back (turn one line 
back) ; two continue. Who ? 

Having made these points clear, the rest of the story 
possesses such absorbing interest to the listener that noth- 
ing now is necessary but word pictures. 

The reader will observe that there is no effort here to 
make a display on the board, but simply to teach the facts 
of the story. 
• A display or brilliant lesson is not to be condemned sim- 




H THE BLACK-BOARD IX THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 

ply because it is a display ; for some of our best lessons are 
taught by what some persons would c ill a grand display. 
Children especially love display, and are fond of surprises ; 
if you can give them a pleasant surprise in the exercise, you 
have reason to hope that you have planted a seed of truth. 
deas, though already familiar to the child, when presented 
.11 some new and interesting way, will excite in erjst and 
attention and leave an impresssion. 

For example, when we combine the type and antitype in 
one illustration or arrangement of the lesson it will help 
the explanations wonderfully. 

To illustrate we will take the story of Noah and the Ark. 
The ark is a type written of, and acknowledged in the Bible. 
Tell the story of Noah's faith amid an unbelieving and scoff- 
ing people ; his heroism, firmness and obedience, lie be- 
lieved God and prepared for this judgment ; the other 
people refused to believe and were lost. In teaching this 
lesson the teacher would have the board already prepared 
with the pictures. 

Here is the picture of the ark sailing safely in the waters. 




Notice the poor wretches clinging to the rocks and perish- 
ing beneath the waves. We are something like those poor 
people ; we are struggling against a flood but it is the flood 
of Sin, not real water. We sometimes try to do right and 
fight the waves of Sin but ever and anon we begin to sink ; 



THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUKDAY-SCHOOL. 75 

and so it will go on to the end and finally engulf us unless 
we find some help 

Kbwy if we had something like what Noah had, what a 
comfort it would be; some ark to save us from the ocean of 
Sin. Is there a refuge ? Yes. (Here the eraser is passed 
lightly across the board and the ark swept out of sight, 




leaving only the name of Christ. Every teacher will make 
the personal application as best suits the circumstances of 
the case.) 

The Avay this lesson is put upon the board is as follows: 
The word Christ is first drawn in with a wet chalk and 
allowed to dry ; this operation causes the chalk to adhere 
to the board so that a light rub will not erase it. The ark 
is then drawn about the letters with colored chalk in such a 
manner as to hide them as much as possible, not by cover- 
ing them up, but by making them answer to parts of the 
picture. Of course a great deal depends upon the unex- 
pected transformation. 

Another illustration of this plan of Picture Lesson can 
be arranged from the Parable of the Vine. John XV. 

We would illustrate the text by a picture of a husband- 
man in the character of the time and country, pruning his 
vine. (Fig 71). 

The main trunks of the vine would be the letters CHKIST, 
so concealed as to attract no attention ; but when the time 



76 THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 

comes to reveal them let the eraser be passed over the pic- 
ture as in the preceding lesson. 

The lesson is itself a picture, and no picture can make it 
any simpler or plainer than it lies before us. 

The spiritual is the true world, all nature is but a reflec- 
tion of that which Christ found in the simplest phenomena 
of nature — a correspondence to the most profound truth of 
spiritual life. 




We might teach of the tender shoots which bear little 
fruit, but whose f ruifcf ulness increases as time passes. 

The branches represented the disciples ; they now repre- 
sent the visible Church ; some are unfruitful and the Lord 
teaches us that they are not saved by their connection with 
the vine. 

What is the fruit ? 

Gal. V: 22-23. 

I think we might examine our Christian progress by these 
fruits, and not altogether by our feelings and our enjoyment 
of the excitement of moral services. 

The unfruitful vine grows with perhaps as much ap- 
parent vigor as the fruitful one. It may be supposed to 
enjoy the sunlight, the gentle dews, or the refreshing 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



77 



showers ; and we may fitly compare this merely receptive 
experience with the self-satisfied Christian, who regards 
his passive reception and recognition of divine truths, and 
his enjoyment of the various mental and social experiences 
of a church membership, as an evidence of his Christian 
growth. 

The true vine, the true bread, the true fountain, the Kock, 
the foundation, the reality of everything is Christ. 

When Christ fills our hearts we are fruitful ; and the 



tea 


/ / T/L^^Jr — -U- 1 \ 


5URELY7m|i ' 

Lord ra K v 


is in this J^Xit 


V*i§^Mfs 


^^pv,. 



Fig. 72. 



activities which spring from a sincere and humble desire 
to do Christ's work, — not because such labors are pleasing 
to us, or exercise our faculties in an agreeable way, but 
because of our love for Christ, — these experiences may be 
regarded as the ripening process, which, with God's bless- 
ing, shall result in the perfect fruit. 



78 



THE BLACK-BOAKD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



The great teaching is Abide. We are not to have oc- 
casional visits, but to abide in him, as the branches abide 
in the vine. His must be the continual life from which we 
are sustained. 

Mr. Tisdel, of Painesville, Ohio, is one of our real, en- 
thusiastic Superintendents, and is always ready with some 
novelty for his school, in the way of surprises, especially 
on anniversaries and Christmas jubilees. To praise his 
work it is only necessary to present it ; it speaks for itself. 
The two following lessons are from his Sunday-School 
black-board. 



RC^ 



[HHI 



SURELY 

Lord 

isin this > 




! BEHOLD 
I set i 
before you. 
an open I 



p^yrat 00 ?* 



Fig. 73. 

Jacob's vision — gen. xxviii : 16-18. 

Procure a piece of common sheet iron, the size and shape 
wanted, with a small hole in the center. Fasten it to a 
black-board with a small tack, in an upright position ; draw 



THE BLACK-BOARD 1ST THE SUNDAY-SCHOOLi 



79 



the ladder — longer than the iron — in such a way as to cov* 
er, and entirely hide it from view, as in fig. 72. In teach- 
ing the lesson, make very prominent, and write the text : 
" Surely the Lord is in this place," then emphasize the 
fact that Jacob was low down — at the very foot of the 
adder. " He took of the stones of that place and put them, 




Fig. 74. 



for his pillow, and lay down in that place to sleep. And 
he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and 
the top of it reached to heaven." You surprise your au- 
dience by turning on its pivot the sheet iron from its up- 



80 



THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



right to a horizontal position, as in fig. 73. (Of course, the 
chalk ladder must be made under as well as upon the mova- 
ble iron.) Now bring out and write the text : "Behold I 




Fig. 75. 



set before you an open door," and urge all to take their 
places low — at the very foot of the cross — that they may 
see the heavens open, &c. (Carry out in your own way.) 



CHRISTMAS EXERCISE. 

Put upon a large black-boaid the star, cross, &c. 
fig.. 74, with mucilage and powdered crayon. After 



as in 
it has 



THE BLACKBOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



81 



become perfectly dry, hide it entirely from view by putting 
fig. 75 over it in bright and dark colored crayons. After 
making use of this, fig. 75 and the text now in sight 
" Good tidings of great joy/ 5 erase quickly with a large, 
soft cloth, and your audience will be filled with wonder an< 
surprise, as ^g. 74 comes in view. Then, according to the 




WE 

CJ.0RY 
CONGO-, 

WETH. 

MANY IN NAME 

EPISCOPAL 

IiUThEiy\N 

PRES. 
DISCIPLE 

cross or 

BAPTIST 
CHRIST 



Fig. 76. 



Fig. 77. 



occasion and circumstances, bring oat and enlarge upon the 
thought that while we rejoice over the birth of our Saviour, 
we should remember that because He was " Obedient unto 
death from the death of the cross/' we may live and rejoice 
through all eternity. "Why not be saved to-day ?" 

We make the following extracts from the published Pro- 



82 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



ceedings of the Tenth Annual Meeting of the Ohio Y. M. 
C. A., held in 'Painesvffle, Nov. 24, 25 and 26, 1876 : 

In making a welcome address to the delegates, Mr. 
Walter C. Tisdel, among other things, said: He was not 
called upon to make remarks, but chalk-marks. He the: 
turned to a large black-board, upon which was already 
written, in large letters, "We glory in the cross of Christ/' 




Fig. 78. 

The words were so arranged that after writing the names 
of the different denominations, represented, as he welcomed 
them, one after the other, and then coloring with clouds 
of crayon, a portion of the lettering, that part remaining 
appeared in the form of a cross, the horizontal reading, 
"Many in name," and the upright, "One in Christ.' 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN" THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL, 83 

"Many in name " was written last, and was said to include 
all denominations, whether written on the board or not. 
Fig. 76 represents the board as it first appeared. Fig. 77, 
when the names had been written, and Fig. 78, after the 
clouds of crayon were made to obscure a portion of the 
lettering. 



IX. 

"CHALK TALK." 

Ik the present chapter on " Chalk Talk" we are to have 
the result of the preceding chapters when practically ad- 
apted to the purpose of religious teaching. We will under 
this heading embrace Symbolical, Figurative and Allegori- 
cal teaching in pictures and alliterations. 

Every portion of the Scriptures selected for our study is 
suggestive of moral and spiritual lessons, and susceptible 
of personal application ; that is, every lesson has a soul as 
well as a body, the body being the Geography, History, 
Chronology — in fact, the literal ; the soul is that hidden 
within, which gives the words their value, and speaks of 
things that are higher, nobler, grander than the letter. 

Every student of God's Word must have some experience 
of surprising revelations, made, as it were, suddenly to the 
soul, speaking in a language which we cannot analyze, but 
which the soul apprehends as part of the great and everlast- 
ing truth. 

It has always seemed to me, when reading the words of 
divinely inspired men — prophets, whose eyes being opened, 
were permitted to see that which is hidden from the rest of 
mankind — that they were trying to utter thoughts which 
the human language was inadequate to express. Look at 
Daniel, look at John, after having their spiritual eyes 
opened ; read their wonderful words. Why do they speak 
in such mysterious figures — such transcendent imagery ? 

Because, I doubt not, that they were striving to tell of 






THE BLACK-BOARD IIST THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 85 

things that have no counterpart on earth, which our natu- 
ral senses do not comprehend, and they can only present 
them dimly by correspondences, for they are unspeakable. 

We should devote more attention to the study of the 
imagery of the Bible ; perhaps we are m the habit of look- 
ing with suspicion on any attempt to interpret those mys- 
terious passages where the truth seems to be hidden behind 
extravagant imagery ; yet we do not doubt that they are 
fraught with solemn and momentous lessons. 

The subject is one which has great fascination for the 
author, but as his interest thus far has only attained to 
speculation which has not been reduced to science, we will 
leave it as a suggestion for wiser heads to work out. 

But although we may not have searched the deep mys- 
teries, there are certain figures and types in the Bible 
which are recognized and used in Christian experience. 
We hear these expressions in the prayer meetings ; expres- 
sions which would be entirely unintelligible to one unlearned 
in Scriptural imagery, and, alas, are often misunderstood, 
or imperfectly understood by those who are prodigal in 
their use ! 

It is too often taken for granted that young heads under- 
stand these figurative and symbolical phrases. Indeed, 
they are expected to understand when told that the " blood 
of Christ cleanseth from all sin," and to be saved, they must 
" believe" That they must " receive Christ," and that " He 
must dwell in them ;" and a great many other figurative 
forms which absolutely need lucid explanations before they 
convey any meaning to the learner. 

It is discouraging to observe the hopeless expression of 
forced attention which exhibits itself on the face of a child 
under an unintelligent Scripture reading or exhortation, 
as much as to say, "That's what they all say, but what 
does it mean — what is it to me ? " 

It is possible to avoid this in a measure, by first ourselves 



86 THE BLACK-BOARD Itf THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 

learning what the lesson, the words, and the figures therein, 
do mean, and then teaching them ; and it is wonderful to 
find how much easier it is for one to teach what he knows 
than what he doesn't know. 

It is always easier to take our slate or black-board and 
draw a picture or symbol, than it is to bring said picture 
or symbol down to the comprehension of the child, and 
there is no use of drawing pictures of hearts, crosses, 
shields, rainbows, Bibles, &c, unless they convey some 
conception of truth to the mind of the learner. 

For example, here is a heart 
with a cross in it ; a common 
symbol, and to the experienced 
Christian, conveying the idea 
of a consecrated mind ; but 
does it, without further ex- 
planation, mean the same to 
the little ones ? 

This brings to my mind a 
scene, where this very figure 
was explained. The occasion 
was a Sunday-School anni- 
versary, the place a church 
filled with children of the age of three years and upward. 
The teacher who was addressing the audience, in the 
course of his remarks, found it necessary to explain this 
symbol. The method was as follows : 

First the simple outline of a heart was drawn on the 
board ; turning to the children he asked: 
" What is this ?" 
" A heart !" 

No trouble so far ; it could easily be seen that half the 
difficulty was over, as the teacher had the interested atten- 
tion of the little folks, and it was plain that their active 
minds were on the alert. 




THE BLACK-BOARD IIS" THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



87 



" Yes, a heart. Now, I mean this to represent a particular 
heart — I mean it for my heart," remarks the teacher ; 
" what is it now ?" 

" Yonr heart !" 

" Don't forget that; now see what else I will draw." 
Teacher draws a child's face within the heart. 




"Now what have I made ?" 

"A little boy!" "A little girl !" " A little child ;" 
variously cry the children. 

" Yes, a little child ; but where is the child?" 

Children unanimously answer : 

"In the heart." 

" In the heart ?" 

" In your heart." 

" That's right, now what does it represent ?" 

" A little child in your heart." 

"Very well, then ; when I tell you that I have a little 
child in my heart, what does it mean ?" 

A little hesitation on the part of the children, because 
of the difficulty of putting so long a sentence together in 
public, and then the answer: 

"You mean you love the child." 



88 THE BLACK-BOARD IX THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 

" Exactly. Now I will rub out the child and put a 
cross in the heart ; what does that mean ?" 

" You love the cross.'' 

The teacher then proceeded to make his point, ex- 
plaining in a simple way what loving the cross meant. 

This unpretentious and simple exercise is put down a* 
an illustration, suggestive of method. The purpose of 
this book is not literary excellence, but practical sugges- 
tions ; many teachers are really at a loss for simple suggest- 
ions of approaching a lesson. 

In a review or black-board exercise it is of great impor- 
tance for the success of the enterprise, that the pupils 
should have confidence enough to answer audibly and 
readily, but there is such a thing as gaining too much con- 
fidence from some of the constitutionally forward ones ; for 
instance : 

A superintendent, reviewing the lessons of the chil- 
dren of Israel crossing the Bed Sea, came to the moral some- 
thing in this way : " And now we sometimes stand before 
great difficulties which stretch out before us like the waters 
of the Dead Sea, which we know not how to cross ; what 
shall we do then ?" 

No answer. 

"Do not be afraid to answer. We are not to trust in 
ourselves — there, who can tell what we are to trust in, to 
get over the sea of difficulties ?" 

Dead silence. 

" There, don't be so backward; now there's a little fellu 
looks as though he knew. What will help us across, m 
little man ? Something that begins with a J. Don't be 
afraid — you're sure to get it right ; how shall we cross ? 
— J, remember — " 

"Jump !" shouts the boy, triumphantly. 

It is all very well for a joke, but it has a demoralizing 
influence on a Sunday-School. 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHCOL. 89 

The Bible is a book of word pictures, symbolisms and 
figures, animals, birds, fishes, reptiles, monsters, sun, moon 
stars, hands, arms, feet, fields, roads, houses, trees, flow- 
ers, thorns, and in fact almost every thing in nature is 
brought to illustrate and give meaning to the Word. 

To the soul, sanctified by the Holy Spirit, all Nature ha 
a tongue which tells wondrous stories of God's love, and 
preaches more eloquently than the tongue of man. The 
leaves above us whisper holy thoughts. The grass and 
flowers and beautiful moss are full of significance. The 
murmuring waves speak of His mercy, and "the heavens 
declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth His 
handiwork; day unto day uttereth speech." 

So we may begin a lesson by drawing attention to a pic- 
ture of a garden on the board, drawn in colors — Speak of 
Eden and its pleasures. 

(A picture of a garden to be already prepared — the other 
illustrations to be drawn during the discourse.) 




God was very good to Adam and Eve. He created them 
perfect. He gave them the most delightful spot on earth 
for their home, the garden of Eden ; there they might 
wander together like two innocent children amidst beauti- 



90 , THE^ BLACK-BOARD IX THE SUXDAY-SCHOOL. 

ful scenes, finding new wonders and pleasant surprised at 
almost every step. They might eat of the delicious fruits 
that hung temptingly from the trees, while the very breezes 
that played about them were laden with the fragrance of 
flowers and spices. But above all they had the inexpress- 
ible delight of walking and talking with their Creator. 
Oh ! what happiness ! what joy ! What a blessed life they 
lived before the serpent entered into their beautiful Para- 
dise ! 

But the tempter came and tempted Eve, saying, " Yea, 
hath God said ye shall not eat of every tree in the garden?" 
He wanted to call to the mind of Eve the fact that there 
was one tree from which she must not eat. He wanted to 
create a desire in the heart of Eve for the forbidden fruit. 
He sought an opportunity to make her discontented. 

He did finally succeed in causing her to fall ; and then 
Adam fell, and they lost their beautiful home in Eden. 
But what was saddest of all they could no longer walk and 
talk with God as they used. 

This old serpent was the Devil, and though our first 
parents have been dead for ages, the serpent is yet alive, 
and as wicked, cunning and crafty as ever. How do I 
know ! Well, w T e read about him all through the Old 
Testament ; sometimes under the name of Baal, Belial, 
or Belzebub, or some other, but what ever name he takes 
he is always at work ; and w r hat is his work ? To destroy 
our souls and keep us from going to Heaven. 

Then we read of him again in the gospels, and find Lin 
bolder than ever, even trying to tempt the Lord Jesus 
himself. We hear of him entering into and possessing 
people ; don't you remember the poor fellow in the country 
of the Gadarenes who was possessed not of one only, but so 
many devils that they filled a whole herd of swine when 
they were expelled at the command of Jesus. But that 
was long ago, and perhaps you imagine that people are no 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



91 



longer in danger from these evil spirits, and you feel safe 
from any such affliction. 



1111 


HI 1 


11111 


Hi 


; w®cm6 


®BS 






— V r «^firKl 


f^p ■ 


>y^Xk " ' i 


\^\ 


A \v ^ 


p 



Fig. 82. 



Well, it may be that evil spirits do not enter into people 
as they once did ; yet I have seen persons who acted very 
much as though they were possessed by evil spirits. But 
if evil spirits are really abroad and entering into persons' 




Fig. 83. 



hearts, it is of the greatest importance that we should 
know whether they influence tur actions ; and that is a 
matter we are going to talk about and examine into. 



92 THE BLACK-BOARD IX THE SUX DAY-SCHOOL 

Let us see. Here is the face of a little child (fig. 82), an 
innocent little one like unto the child that Jesus put in 
the midst of his disciples and said, "Unless you become 
converted/ ? &c« 

Mark the expression, undisturbed by any trace of pas- 
sion or deceit ; an agreeable and pleasant face to look upon. 
And now let us see the heart belonging to this face ; here 
it is (fig. 83) ; it is like the face because we can see noth- 
ing in it that is bad or sinful. It is unstained by vice. 
Perhaps we can trace a few soft lines which indicate the 
character of the child, and may turn out for good or ill — 
but that is all. 

Xow, how was it the serpent tempted Eve ? By making 
her discontented. What was the sin of the children of 
Israel, which brought upon them the wrath of Jehovah ? 
Discontent; grumbling and fault-finding ; wishing for the 
flesh-pots of Egypt. 




How easily we become the victims of discontent in spite 
of all our blessings. How cunningly we are tempted to 
want something we ought not to have ; something forbid- 
den us, and become dissatisfied and fault-finding. Ill- 
humored about our circumstances in life, or our home, or 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 93 

school ; discontented with our teacher ; fretting about 
this or that, and out of temper because we cannot always 
have our own way. 

Look out ! It is the Serpent entering into our Paradise, 
for our hearts are our Paradise. (Draw serpent in heart. ) 

Beware of Discontent, for he is sly and cunning, and 
w ill surely make our lives unhappy if we allow him to enter 
into us. A discontented person can never be happy ; if 
one owned the whole world he would cry for the moon. 
Now, as the spirit of discontent enters the heart, observe 
how it leaves its ugly trace upon the innocent, marking 
the expression with the first mark of sin. And if you are 




attentive you will see how the child will gradually lose its 
beauty as the evil influences enter the heart. 

A companion to Discontent is Envy. It grows up in 
the heart like a hateful briar. Ill-shapen and ugly itself, 
it takes every opportunity of tearing and wounding every- 
thing that comes within its reach. (Fig. 86.) 

A little girl dislikes her schoolmate, not because the 
schoolmate is not worthy of her love, but because Envy 
has entered her heart and made her jealous, perhaps, of 
the neater appearance, better behavior, or superior excel- 
lence of her companion. 



94 THE BLACK-BOARD IX THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 

Prompted by Envy this boy will insult another who has 
tried to do right and has earned the approbation of others, 
perhaps gained a prize at school — a medal or badge — and 




Fig. 86. 



as he passes, the envious lad will call after him in mock- 
ing tones, "good boy!" &c, or madly push against him 
to provoke a quarrel. Surely Envy cannot be a good 
spirit. See, it also leaves a mark. 




Envious people are almost always vain. Vanity is the 
outside exhibition of selfishness. A vain child says, "Look 



THE BLACK-BOARD IX THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



95- 



at me! /am better dressed than others. My. curls are 
longer and softer than my companion's; or, " my. father 
holds a high position, therefore admire me !" But what 
does the ,Bible say ? " A high look and a proud heart is 



sm. 




Fig. 88. 



Listen to what Jesus says: "Blessed are the poor in 
spirit/' "Blessed are the meek." There are no blessings 




Fig. 89. 



for the vain. How does this spirit of vanity affect a boy ? 
Well, if he happens to possess anything above hiscompan^ 



96 THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL, 

ions he will immediately give himself airs, and try to 
excite envy and jealousy. See how it marks the expres- 
sion. If he should happen to own a pony, he is too exalt- 
ed to speak to common mortals who go on foot. 

Vanity is like a rank weed that lifts its vulgar head high 
above the modest, but beautiful flowers, stealing their 
nourishment and usurping their soil. (Draw fig. 89.) 

Now when Discontent, Envy and Vanity have taken up 
their abode in the heart, Insolence is not far behind ; and 
it is a terrible misfortune for a child to be troubled by the 
spirit of Insolejice. I am glad to say I do not often meet 
with a real insolent child, though I do see some impertin- 
ent ones once in a while. I'll try and tell you what I mean 
by Insolence. It does not always show itself in a word or 
even acts ; a look is enough of tentimes to show the lurk- 
ing spirit within. (Draw.) 




See how it draws the face into an ugly sneer, throwing 
out the under lip, &c. 

I once read a story of a little girl who was insolent to an 
old woman. This old woman proved to be a fairy in dis- 
guise, and to punish the child enchanted her, so that 
whenever she uttered an insolent word, toads and lizards 
would drop from her mouth. Now, this was really the 



THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 97, 

best thing that could happen her, for, perhaps when she 
would see a toad falling from her mouth, she would think 
it best to swallow the rest of the insolence, and toads, too. 
Now, although this is only a fairy story, and never really 
happened, it has made such an impression on my mind 
that whenever I hear an insolent word I wonder whether 
it is a toad or a lizard. I will put it down in the heart as 




a toad. There is an old story that Satan hid in the 
garden of Eden in the shape of a toad. 

Another evil spirit is something which begins with an 
L. "Laziness." You say, "Why, T didn't know it was really 
wicked to be lazy." Why, of course it is. It is merely self- 
ishness and self-indulgence. I have met children (and 
grown-up folks, too, for that matter), who seemed to have 
but three ideas in life — eating, sleeping and amusement. 
No other desire or ambition than to gratify themselves. It 
never occurs to such persons that they are put into the 
world to be of service to others, and that the highest hap- 
piness is in being useful. Oh, no! their comforts must 
not be interfered with on any account. Let me put a 
type of this sort in the heart, and show the effect upon 
the face. 



98 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



A lazy child is always careless about his personal ap- 
pearance ; for instance, he will not wash his face or comb 





13] 




19 




IB 


'.. ■^ , ^ ^^^z*<* #„ «'///■ 









Fig. 92. 



his hair, so the hair must be kept closely cut. (Erase the 
curls.) 




And now, one thing more, Profanity. I will say "Swear- 
ing," so that we shall not misunderstand. Even the 
heathen, who, in their blindness, bow down to wood and 
stone, respect their false gods too much to take their names 
lightly on their lips. How careful we should be never to 
take the name of the Lord lightly upon our lips, for it is 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. b\) 

an awful thing to take the name of the Lord in vain, for 
He will not hold him guiltless who taketh His name in 
vain. 

With what horror would we look upon a little girl- who 
gave utterance to an oath ; and yet it is no worse, no more 
dreadful than from the lips of a boy. 

The habit of swearing is like a poisonous plant growing 
in our hearts and poisoning our lives. 




It is like a tree which grows in distant lands whose 
shade is deadly to any living thing which seeks the shelter 
of its branches ; and so the foul words of the swearer poison 
the minds of those with whom he associates. The swearer 
sells his soul for nothing. Don't swear. 

And now what do the initial letters of these evil spirits 
spell ? DEVILS. Yes, and this represents the heart 
possessed of devils. 

These are the devils that enter the heart, and this is a 
type of the heart which harbors them. See what a mon- 
ster our pretty child has become ; and this is not all fancy, 
because our faces do, in time, show forth the spirit within. 
An evil heart will show itself through the expression, just 
as a good heart will shine through the face— lighting up 
the countenance and making it bright and winning. 



100 THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 

Perhaps the change is not always so great as I have 
drawn it ; yet it is certain that the more we allow ourselves 
to be influenced by these devils the more we become like 
them. When we form evil habits, we become slaves to 
those habits, and are like one possessed of devils. 

It is not a pleasant thing to think our hearts are like 
this. I hope they are not. You know, each one of you, 
whether you are allowing these evil ones to dwell in your 
hearts. Take care ; they are working to destroy you. 
Like the worm that gnaws into the heart of the tree and 
causes its leaves to wither and its branches to die, so these 
evil things will destroy us ; for our lives are something 
like trees, some good and fruitful, others like the barren 
fig tree, selfish and living for self only, like the pig (beast). 
See, the evil in the heart has made the child look like a 
devil. 

We cannot always hide what is bad about us. If we 
have bad blood, it shows itself in our bodies in sores and 
eruptions, just as the bad heart shows on the face. Now, 
when one has bad blood, what should he do ? Try to be 
cured. Yes, and when it is a bad heart ? Try to he. cured! 
See, I have made the heart something like a badly kept 
garden, and I have done so because I want to show you 
that to be happy our hearts must be right. 

Now suppose some of us feel that our hearts are some- 
thing like this one, how shall we have it set right— how 
shall we be cured ? Hark, "Behold I stand at the door," 
&c. Whose voice is that ? It is the voice of Him who 
came to seek and to save that which was lost. It is the 
voice of the great Physician who can heal the sin-sick 
soul ; who can cleanse the foulest heart. Then open your 
hearts to Jesus, hear his voice and believe. Open your 
hearts to Jesus, that means love him. Hear what God 
says : "A new heart will I also give you, and a new spirit 
will I put within you." 



THE BLACKBOARD I1ST THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 101 

Now, when Jesus enters he will pardon your sins, give 
you a new heart, and wipe out your transgressions as easily 
and quickly as I erase these marks. (The figures in the 
heart are rubbed out.) 

But this is not all. We not only want to get rid of the 
unclean things, but we want something to beautify our 
new heart. Then the seed must be planted. God's word 
is the seed, and in the study of his word we are con tantly 
planting seed which will grow up into lovely graces and 
virtues, beautifying our lives, just as flowers and trees 
beautify a garden; and the love of Christ will keep our 
hearts clean. It will be like a well of water springing up 
into everlasting life. 

(Draw a heart around the picture of the garden.) 




See what a contrast to the wicked heart. See the beau- 
tiful flowers and trees. 

I once heard a story of a tree, a wonderful tree, which 
grew alone on a broad plain. It was different from the 
other trees. It was larger, it sent its branches far out over 
the plain below. It did not shed its leaves every fall as 
other trees, but only once in a hundred years it would drop 



102 THE BLACK-BOARD IX THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. ■ 

one leaf, and this leaf possessed the marvelous power of 
healing any sickness or infirmity. So every hundred years 
the unfortunate people from the neighboring countries 
would gather under its branches ; there would be the sick, 
the lame and the blind. Oh, it would be a sad sight to 
see so many afflicted ones, each hoping to obtain the heal- 
ing leaf, for there was but one leaf and many seekers. As 
fche time approached for the leaf to fall many anxious 
glances were cast up into the branches, and as they watch, 
a single leaf detaches itself from its stem and takes its 
course slowly toward the ground, and the crowd rush eag- 
erly toward it — now this way, now that — following the 
motions of the leaf as it is driven by the breeze ; tramp- 
ling each other and filling the air with cries and shrieks. 
All is turmoil and confusion, till at last one more fortu- 
nate than the rest clasps the leaf in his hand and presses 
it to his heart and is healed, while the rest go hopelessly 
back to die. Oh, that was a wonderful tree. 

But I will tell you of one yet more wonderful. It was 
one which John saw in his vision, and the leaves of the 
tree were for the healing of the nations. Eev. 22 : 2. 
And these leaves do not fall only once in a hundred years. 
0, no, nor but once in fifty, nor a month, or week, or day, 
but all the time. 

Now, these precious leaves are falling, we cannot see 
them, but they are real, they are God's grace, mercy and 
forgiveness ; they will heal our troubled hearts, cure sin- 
sick souls. All we have to do is to stretch our hands out 
to God for the healing power and He gives it to us. What 
wondrous mercy, what great love ! 

There is a bird which builds its nest in a country where 
serpents abound. These serpents are its deadly enemies, 
and will steal upon the nest and devour the young. But 
as the old birds sees one of these enemies approach, one 
will offer battle and flutter about, picking at the serpent's 






THE BLACK-BOARD 1ST THE SUKDAY-SCHOOL. 103 

eyes, keeping it busy while its mate brings a leaf from 
some neighboring tree and lays it on the nest ; this it does 
again and again until the nest is covered, and when the 
snake approaches and sees -these leaves, he will turn back 
and hasten away, for the leaves have that in them which 
is death to the serpent. So these leaves of God's mercy 
are death to that old serpent, thc7l)evil, and he can neither 
enter or live in our hearts while we possess God's grace 

Then shall we not all earnestly and fervently hold out 
our hands to God for his sweet pardon^ and shall we not 
ever pray that we may not lose our preciousgift, but care- 
fully keep it in our hearts until we go where Jesus is and 
where sin or serpents cannot come. 




-. ■ -> "■■.-■ 



X. 

CHALK SERMONS. 

This "talk" or sermon requires either two boards, or 
one very large one, to present it fully, but parts could be 
chosen and adapted to circumstances. 

"Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, 
while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when 
thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them." — Ecclesias- 
tics, xii : 1. 

Who is " thy Creator ?" 

(Print the answer thus:) 

C 

o 

D 

How shall we remember Him ? (Write : ) 

Gratefully, 

Obediently, 

Devotedly. 

Gratefully. — Consider He is your Creator, affectionate 
Father, the Fountain of all Good. 

Obediently. — Psalm 1. 

Devotedly. — With love and reverence let your life be for 
Him. 

THY YOUTH. 

Sculptors first fashion their models in soft clay, skillfully 
working it into forms of grace and beauty while it is yet 
pliant to their touch, but after it has grown old and hard, 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



1G5 



it becomes fixed, and cannot be changed. If modeled into 
beautiful forms it remains so ; if left imperfect it remains 
imperfect. 

Did you ever think how much our life is like a journey ? 
Every day we live we are nearer to the end. Early we are 
called in life to choose what path we are to walk in. 

There are two ways open before us. (Draw.) 





c3 

a 

o 
Q 

pq 



© 
o 

pq 

eg 

pq 



o 
o 
o 

eS 
O 

H 









§ 

^3 






(Describe the paths, the illusions of the lower one, false 
promises of pleasure, &c. "I have often dreamed while 
suffering from thirst that in some way I found water, and 
thought I eagerly drank of it, yet all the time I had an 
undefined consciousness that it was a sham, and I was 
really receiving no satisfaction from the draught. So is 
worldly pleasure. ") 

The upper path begins narrow. Matt. 7 : 13-14. (De- 
scribe.) 

A youth, attracted by the appearance of beauty and the 
seeming pleasures along the broad way steps in, timidly 
at first, for he is not bad and rather fears evil, but he 
loves play and pleasure, and this way seems to promise 
more than any other one. So he steps into it. He knows 
it is not the right way to take, but he thinks to himself : 



106 THE BLACK-BO&KI) '12* THE SIT N DAT- SCHOOL. 

- "After awhile, alter I have had a good time I willgo over 
to the right path and come out all right after all." Ah, 




what does the Bible say ? Bemember now! Why now? 
Don'lryou see how easy it is to him to go the right way 
now ? 

As he goes on in search of pleasure he falls in first with 
evil companions. Blessed is the boy who always avoids 
evil associates. He has gone further along now. See how 




much further away from the good path ; and he goes on ; 
he is fast forgetting ihow lie promised himself that he 
wouJiisoon crossover fe the good path. He doesn't go 
to S^^JI^hwlttiow^mufeh. I Hisi Sundays are spent in 
^«fe«|o&t playtag:^ball,iand:as he grrofc; older he gradu- 
%te^ojI:; the vacant lot to the corner loafer.; ^ee him 
now as; he shuflfle$ arbund before ;spme corner groggery,. 



THE BLACK-BOARD IX THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 107 

He has learned to smoke and to chew, and he and his as- 
sociates make the sidewalk filthy with their dirty practice. 
It cost him something to learn to smoke and chew, but 
the other fellows did it, and he wouldn't be very much of 
a young man till he did also, and now he has gone quite a 
good way in this path. He is no longer the innocent lad 
that started ; he has learned evil things, things that cor- 
rupt. He says he has cut his eye teeth, he means that he 
has become worse than ever. He doesn't think of the £ood 
way now. If he ever looks toward it, he doesn't want to 
undertake so long and hard a journey. 

And then the evil books. Books which mislead and give 
us wrong notions of life, that make heroes of scamps, 
thieves and liars ; books that corrupt and destroy the 
soul. 

A step farther, (deceit), he hides it from his parents. 
Home has lost its pleasures for him. He is not so ambi- 
tious for his mother's approving smile. Perhaps in the 
dead of night his conscience troubles him some, but with 
the day, dissolve all good resolutions. 

From deceit to dishonesty is but a step. He is no longer 
the innocent lad. His face begins to look old and sinister ; 
hard, cruel lines are marking his once fair face. The 
"evil days" are fast drawing nigh. Why have I not 
spoken of the girl ? It seems sad enough to trace the 
downward steps of the lad, but ! how sad to see the girl 
in this way. She enters the same way. She will deny 
herself no pleasure ; deceiving her friends and falling 
among evil companions who poison her mind and lead her 
away from good influences. She goes to balls, spends all 
she can get upon her dress, until her whole soul becomes 
wrapt up in a desire to look better than her associates ; — 
her talk is of nothing but dress, hops and beaux. We 
will go with her no further. Let us hope she may come 
back, for she is in danger. 



108 THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 

The wretched drunkard. (Change the same face.) 




The poor decrepid old man. Old before aged, misera- 
ble, poor, shaking with the palsy, appetite taken, hear- 




ing and sight almost gone, without hope, without capacity 
to enjoy. The eyil days have come. 

THE GOOD PATH. 

How it widens and grows beautiful toward the end. 

(The following story will make a good ending for our 
sermon. It is from Ohas. L. Brace's Sermons to News 
Boys:) 

Some years ago a child was born, and lived a long time 
in the sewers of Paris. Under that city you can go him- 



THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 109 

dreds of miles through the sewers, and some men are con- 
stantly about in them, picking up what is floated down 
from the streets above. Sometimes they even find jewelry 
or watches, and other things of value. Well, this child 
was born and grew up under ground. All that she ever 
saw of the world, were the dark, dirty waters flowing in 
the sewers, and the rats and vermin that scampered 
through them. Sometimes her father would show her a 
piece of a garment, or a broken dish, or a silver article of 
value, and from these she would try to imagine what the 
upper world might be. 

All that she knew of light, were the few rays that came 
through the dirty grating, and her father's lantern. She 
had never seen the sky, or the stars, or the trees, or the 
flowers. At last, one day, her father tells her that in a 
short time, he shall take her out to see the sun and the 
upper world. He describes the world above as a great 
Light — a glory. She cannot understand him. She asks, 
" Is it like your lantern ?" " Oh, no," he says, " a thous- 
and times greater ; you will need no lantern then !" " Per- 
haps," she says, "it is like the beautiful rays that come 
through the grating." "Oh! it is far, far better," he 
answers. Then he tries to picture to her the trees and the 
flowers and the beautiful sky; but she cannot imagine 
what they can be. 

At length, one morning, he leads her through long 
miles of sewers, and brings her to the opening of the main 
drain, and she stands, for the first time, in the open air. 
She is dazzled — she can hardly see, at first. Such glory, 
such beauty, she had never before imagined ! There is the 
splendid blue sky, and the white clouds floating in it, and 
the trees and the birds and the fields and flowers ; and 
above all, the magnificent sun filling all things with light 
and glory. She falls down in silent worship, and in such 
delight and fear, that she can hardly speak. 



110 THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 

"Oh; the light — the Light!" she says, "this is heav- 
en !" 

So, to us, children, will be the opening of the next 
world. It will be as light was to this poor rag-picker's 
daughter. A glory will be revealed to us which will be 
like light. We shall need no sun, for the Lord God is the 
light of it. Everything will be so new and glorious to us, 
that the Bible describes it as Light. 



CITIES OF KEFUGE. 

Deuteronemy, iv : 41-49. 

What is refuge ? A place to find safety from danger or 
fear. For whom were these cities a refuge ? Manslayer. 
What danger threatened ? Avenger of blood. Suppose 
the homicide did not feel any danger, would he flee ? 
Then let us remember two great things suggested by this 
lesson. (Write upon the board :) 

DANGER. REFUGE 

If any of us had lived then and had accidentally killed 
some one, would we fly ? 

Suppose I should tell you now, with . all your friends 
about you, that you were in great danger ? Some would 
say, "How ? where ? I see no danger !" And you might 
not feel disturbed. Suppose a deaf man was walking on the 
railway, and the switch-man signaled to him that he was iii 
danger - a train was coming — wouldn't he be foolish to 
say, "0, well, /don't hear the train coming, I won't even 
look behind me ; I don't believe the train is coming, and 
I won't leave the track.'' What would he be? A fool. 
Every one of us who does not and is not trying to love the 
Lord Jesus, is in danger. > 



THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUKDAY-SCHOCL. Ill 

How do I know ? 

God says so. 

(Write under the word Danger, on the board, "The 
soul that sinneth it shall die. The wages of sin is death.") 

Have you ever s'nned ? 

Then it means you. 

If you have sinned, you are lost, unless you find a way 
of safety. 

Noah knew the danger and prepared for it ; the others 
would not believe, and were lost. 

We are something like the poor people who were drown- 
ed, we are continually doing something we know is wrong. 
Do we ever live through a day that we feel has been a day 
of entirely good behavior ? No, we try to do right, but 
we keep struggling against the waves of Sin and under we 
go. And so it will go on to the end, unless we find some 
refuge. 

If we had something like Noah had, what a comfort it 
would be. Some refuge from this ocean of sin all about 
us. There is one. 



DANGER! 

" The Soul that Sinneth 
itShallDie!" 

"The Wages of Sin is 
Death!" 



REFUGE! 

"The Lord is my Ref- 
uge." 
"Come unto Me all ye 
that are weary and 
Heavy Laden." 



Let us learn to say : (Draw on the board under thi 
word Refuge,) "The Lord is my refuge," &c. 



HUMBLE SERVICE, 

This lesson is suggested by the washing of the disciples 5 
feet by our Lord/' described in John, xiii. 



112 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUKDAY-SCHOOL. 



You may draw a tree — how often the righteous life is 
compared to a tree, "growing beside the rivers of water" — 
tell of its beauty and usefulness. But from where does 
the tree draw this beautiful life ? What is the founda- 
tion — the root ? The root hidden in the earth, unseen, 
doing its humble service. The humblest things are not the 
least important. Christ taught the actual daily life of 
humble goodness, the foundation to our salvation. It is 
thzfeet that need cleansing. 

(Draw the Sun. ) 







The Sun, the source of all life, the center of the solar 
system, visits the humblest, invigorates the smallest blos- 
som as well as the noblest tree. "Humble service no 
more degrades a great man than the shining in a very 
lowly place belittles the sun." 

The more abundant the spiritual life the deeper will be 
the humility. 

The root hidden in the earth finds the best and noblest 



THE BLACK-BOARD IX THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



113 



place for itself and the whole tree. Its honor and crown 
in the blossom, its reward in the fruit. 



MANY MANSIONS. 

John, xiv : 1-4. 

Although the word does not occur in the lesson the very 
heart of the lesson is Trust. " Ye believe in God, believe 
also in me." " In my Father's/' &c. The sweet promises 
of the lesson all say trust me. Then, as central thought, 
Faith, in the sense of trust. 



lAMTHEWAr/ 



1 


Kg 


■l 


- 


Wj 


U-<^ 



Heaven. 

Our Inheritance 
Many Mansions 
Eternal Rest. ■ 






First Topic — " Many Mansions." 

Our abiding place ; we are not to be sojourners there. 
It is our destination. 

" Forever with thee, Lord, 
So Jesus let it be, 

Life from the dead is in that word, 
Tis immortality !" 

To what has this reference ? 

Heaven — our inheritance, uncorruptible and undefiled, 
that f adeth not away. 



114 THE BLACK-BOARD itf THE SUtf&AY-SCHOOL. 

We are not sojourners there, it is our goal, our destina- 
tion. There we abide with Christ. 

Many. — Koom for all. 

Eternal Rest. — Contrast the partial broken rest of the 
Earthly Caanan, (Judges.) 

The land had rest for forty and for eighty years, &c, 
rest that remained for the people of God. 
Second Topic. — The Way. 

I am the way. 

How? 

A guide — by my life. 

As the guide board points out the road to the traveler, 
so Jesus, through his word, points out the Christian's 
way. By his death the sign board is in the form of the 
cross — tells of the death he died for us, "He was wounded 
for our transgressions," &c. Down below the cross, pass- 
ing beneath its shadow, runs the road leading far away 
over the distant mountains where lies the City of God, 
whose spires we may dimly see. 



A TEMPERANCE LESSON. 

The following exercise was used in a Gospel temperance 
meeting, conducted by a delegation from the Painsville, 
Ohio, Y. M. C. A. 

The black-board was made to look like a saloon sign, 
the letters being handsomely made and shaded with bright 
colored crayons. This was put up back of the pulpit after 
the opening devotional exercises. No wonder the people 
smiled with such a sign in a good orthodox Methodist 
church. The speaker said that although signs similar to 
this are to be seen in all our towns and citie?, he thought 
an interpretation of its meaning might be helpful. S 
stands for Segars, Smoking Tobacco, Stout, Schnapps, 



THE BLACK-BOAKD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 115 

Sherry, Sling, Scotch Ale, &c, &c. Segars being written 
on the board. So on through the sample room from the 




116 THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUKDAY-SCHOOL 

small beginning until nothing but mixed drinks will satisfy 
the appetite. A temperance Bible reading was used in con- 
nection with this exercise, and when the text: "Who 
hath woe," &c, was read, the price per glass was erased 
and the words of the text, Proverbs, 23-32, written on the 
beer mug, and the board left as in our second illustration, 
on the preceding page. 



XL 



RUDIMENTS OF THE ART OF DRAWING THE 
HUMAN HEAD, FACE, AND FIGURE. 



Insomuch as the author presents several exercises where 
the human head, face and figure are introduced, it is 
deemed best to give some hints to guide those who are not 
familiar with the rules of drawing. 

The following rules are intended only as a basis for the 
learner to work upon, giving merely ideas of proportion ; 




Fig. 103. 



yet by paying attention to these rules, with careful prac- 
tice, the learner will avoid those distressing mistakes of 
proportion so often made by "amateur artists. " 

Let us begin with the human head and face ; although 



118 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUXDAY-SCHOOL. 



capable of infinite variations there is a standard which 
ought not to be departed from too much. There are three 
yiews of the head and face which will answer most pur- 
poses. The profile, the three-quarter view, and the front 
face. 

Tlie profile is a view which presents the actual lines of 
the features most apparently. 

To get the proportions of a head and face, viewed in 
profile : 

First, draw a square, divide it into two equal parts by a 
horizontal line, A A, this will give the position of the eye. 
Divide the lower half into two equal divisions by a hori- 
zontal line, B B, which will give the length of the nose, 
and position and length of the ear. 

The bottom line of the square will give the extent of the 
chin, the top of the square limiting the hight of the head. 
Keeping this idea in view in sketching out your head be- 
fore putting in the features in detail, block it out first 
roughly, as shown in figs. 104, 105 and 106. 




Fig. 104. 



Fig. 105. 



Fig. 106. 



Figs. 105 and 106 give different positions. Bear in mind 
that the base of the skull does not extend as low as the 
chin, but is parallel with the lowest point of the ear. See 
fig. 103. 



THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



119 



In regard to the facial line, or the line which marks the 
direction and inclinations of the face, the student will ob- 
serve from the accompanying illustrations its place and 
value. 




Fig. 107. 



In fig. 107 the forehead and lips touch the vertical line 
according to the classical models. In proportion to the 
slant of this line the face loses dignity and beauty. Figs. 
108 and 109. 




Fig. 108. 



Fig. 109. 



Yet the vertical facial line may be varied a little with- 
out marring its beauty, but let it be the standard. 

The first illustration will give the standard of proportion, 
further explanations will not be necessary. 



120 



THE BLACK-BOARD IX THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



The front view of a well shaped head presents the gen- 
eral form of an egg, or oval. A perpendicular line travers- 




Fig 1 

ing the center will be a guide for regular features. A 
horizontal line drawn through the center will mark the 
position of the eyes, &c. ; the same rules of proportion 
being observed here as relate to profiles. According to 
the character of the features delineated, the oval outline 
varies, in the case of a child the oval assumes a rounder 




Fig. 111. 

form. In every case the oval is but the guide, and should 
not be so plainly marked as to be unpleasantly apparent. 
See fig. 112. 



THE BLACK-BOAKD 1ST THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



121 



If the face be inclined upward or downward, the key to 
their proportions can be found in figs. 113, 114 and 115. 




Fig. 112. 

In drawing the eyes never mark the under lid with a 
thick line, as in fig. 116. But either leave it out alto- 
gether, or merely indicate it with a light touch. Fig. 117. 




Fig. 113. 



Fig. 114. 



Fir. 115. 



In drawing the nose of a full face beware of attempting 
to make any outlines to indicate the sides of the nose, as 
in fig. 118. For no lines are really apparent from this view, 
and the shape and character of the feature should be sug- 
gested by drawing the lower portion only. Fig. 119. 

In drawing a three-quarter view of the face we observe 



122 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



the same general rules of proportion. The same view does 
not present an oyal outline. Fig. 120. 



n« 



j9T 



Fig. 117. 




118 



In giving these directions the author does not pretend 
they are all complete, and enough to guide one, without 

^>> <kJ& <&J*> 

Fig. 119. 

further assistance, to become an accomplished artist. They 
are only a few points laid down to assist the Sunday-School 




Fig. 120. 

teacher, who, without them, would still delineate features, 
and without them would do worse than with them. 



THE BLACK-BOARD 1ST THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 123 

THE PROPORTIONS OF THE HUMAN FIGURE. 

The standard of proportion of a well shaped man is seven 
and a half heads. A man standing upright, with both 
arms extended horizontally from his shoulders, will meas- 
ure the same from hand to hand, as from head to feet. 




Fig. 121. 

Fig. 122 will show the relative proportions. 
The quarter divisions of the figure are : 
1st Quarter. From the top of the head to the armpits. 
2nd Quarter. Armpits to bottom of the trunk. 
3d Quarter. From trunk to knees. 
Uh Quarter. From the knees to sole of the foot. 
The divisions marked by the length of the head are : 
1st. The head. 
2nd. The nipple. 
3d. The waist. 
Uh. The thighs. 

5th and 6th. The knee centers between. 
7th. The upper portion of the ancle. 
7J. The sole of the foot. 

The arm hanging close to the body will bring the ends 
of the wrist parallel with the bottom of the trunk. 



124 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



The foot one-sixth of the hight of the figure. 
The hand the length of the face. 
Twice the breadth of the hand equals its length, 
breadth of the hand is the same as that of the foot. 
The thumb and nose are of equal length. 



The 




Fig. 122. 



Most figures drawn for Bible teaching will be robed. 
Sketch out lightly, at first, the figure to get correct pro- 
portion, and then robe it according to the costume re- 
quired. 

In drawing the folds of the drapery study simplicity. A 



THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



125 



multiplicity of lines and wrinkles give the subject an in- 
significant appearance. 

Draw only the folds that give character and expression 
to the firur^ ; especially avoid meaningless lines. 




Fig. 123. 



Fig. 12 



Figs. 121 and 122 illustrate the principle. Fig. 
shows indecision ; fig. 122, boldness and simplicity. 



121 



XII. 

THE USE OF COLOR ON THE BLACK-BOARD. 

A judicious use of colored chalks in putting designs on 
the black-board will often greatly enhance their force and 
attractiveness. But color should be used understanding^, 
and with a definite object in view. 

For lettered exercises, color is useful mainly to give 
emphasis to some particular word, and may serve instead of 
making large sized letters ; or, size and color both may be 
availed of. 

Color should be used sparingly — that is, only specially 
important parts of the exercise should be in brilliant color, 
and the minor lettering in white. Too many different col- 
ors should be avoided. Usually two or three colors will be 
ample for any lettering ; and lines or words should not be 
broken up with patches of different color. Red, however, 
is rendered more brilliant by a contrast with green, hence, 
a large letter in red may be improved by a shading of green. 

Further on in this chapter, though treating especially of 
pictorial representation, will be found hints applicable to 
lettering. 

As to the materials, nothing in addition to the outfit for 
exercises in white is required, except a box of school cray- 
ons, "assorted colors." Effects are sometimes hightened 
by using a little pure dry color, such as can be had in paint- 
shops before being ground in oil. But I would not recom- 
mend anything more than the colored crayons. If you can- 
not make a brilliant picture with them, you probably would 
not succeed any better by simply increasing your materials. 



THE BLACK-BOAKD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL 



127 



Brilliancy is obtained by contrasting colors. Eed contrasts 
with green ; purple with yellow ; orange with blue ; and 
white with black. Hues in which red predominates are 
"warm," while those in which blue predominates are 
" cool " — that is, where an idea of cold is to be suggested 
by a picture, blue is the prevailing color, while the idea of 
warmth is suggested by the introduction of red. It should 
be remembered that red " goes further " than other colors, 
and a little has as much effect as a larger quantity of other 
colors, hence, it should not be obtrusively used. Yellow 
gives power and force when used with other colors. 




Fig. 125.— The Outline Sketch. 



The more one knows of perspective and the general rules 
of drawing, the better, but beyond these he does not need 
minute instructions such as would be appropriate were he 



128 THE BLACK-BOARD IX THE SUKDAY-SCHOOL. 

studying to produce a finished picture in oil or water colors. 
It is not the aim to entirely cover up the board, and con- 
ceal the black surface with color ; were it so, it would be 
better to use a tvhite-bo&rd. instead of a Hack-board. 

To illustrate these and some further points, suppose 
we take an example, introducing a variety of work. The 
subject of Euth gleaning in the field of Boaz is a useful 
one, and introduces both figures and landscape. 

When about to make a sketch, take a slate pencil (if the 
surface be silicate or other material on which a slate-pencil 
will draw) and block out the design roughly with a few 
suggestive lines, getting the proportions and positions of 
the principal figures and the general composition, but tak- 
ing no account of the minor details. See fig. 125. 

Then take light red chalk and mark out carefully the 
outlines of the faces and other parts of the figures which 
are to appear in flesh tints. Then mark in the same way 
the outlines of draperies with the broad side of chalks of 
the several colors in which it is proposed the respective gar- 
ments are to appear. 

DraAV over all outlines thus far put upon the board, with 
white chalk, to make the parts stand out, and prevent the 
figures having the look of hanging to the background. 
Bear in mind the outlines should be broad, figures in the 
foreground being always stronger and brighter than those in 
the background. 

When bare earth is to be represented it is generally done 
by drawing across the board with light pressure, with brown 
chalk. Verdure is represented by using green in the same 
way, marking in the detail (blades of grass, &c.) with the 
point of the crayon. Eipe grain in the background should 
be made by drawing vertically with the flat side of orange 
chalk, and touching up with bright yellow to indicate the 
character and tops. 

For the background, take light blue or purple chalk, and 



THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUKDAY-SCHOOL. 129 

draw, with the flat side, lightly across the board. Then 
mark over this tint, with a hard pressure, using the end of 
the chalk, outlines of mountains. 

Trees are to be drawn with green, using the flat side of 
the chalk for foliage, with sufficient pressure to give the de- 
sired amount of color ; the foliage should be put on in a 
a general mass. Break up the foliage with touches of yel- 



Fig. 126.— The Finished Picture. 

low chalk, into irregular masses and branches, without, 
however, attempting too much detail. The trunk, too, 
should receive a few touches of yellow on the side to lighten 
it. 

Clouds are depicted by drawing across the board with 
the flat side of very light pink, the edges of the clouds be- 
ing indicated with touches of white or yellow. 



ISO THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUXDAY-SCHOOL. 

"We now complete our figures in the foreground by filling 
in the outlines of the draperies with a mass of color. The 
garments of Boaz (in the subject we have chosen) might be 
of a reddish color, and those of Kuth, of blue. In such a 
picture nothing is gained and much lost by attempting to 
introduce variety of coloring in the clothing of a single 




Fig. 127.— Landscape in Color. 

figure. The whole costume is best in one color, and the 
minutiae of dress, such as neckties or shoe buckles had best 
be utterly ignored. 

Where persons are of primary importance in the picture, 
both the background and accessories should be kept subor- 
dinate by less elaboration and brilliancy of coloring that the 
importance of the figures may not be diminished. Where 
the subject is a landscape, and figures are introduced merely 
for variety or subordinately to the general scene, the figures 
may be toned down and the vivid coloring expended upon 
the inanimate objects. 



THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 131 

We will now take an example of landscape drawing, in 
which figures, if introduced at all, are to be merely inciden- 
tals, and made subordinate to the landscape. 

Begin with the background, well up on the board, with 
light blue, drawing with the flat side of the chalk, across 
the board. The upper outlines of mountains should then 
be marked with the point of the same chalk, bearing on 
pretty heavily; for the sides of mountains use the flat side 
of the same chalk, with rather light pressure. 

For the "middle ground," and shubbery in middle dis- 
tance, use light pink, using the flat side of the chalk, with 
moderate pressure ; intersperse this with a little blue, applied 
in the same way. 

As we approach the foreground, we introduce a verdant 
plain, by using the flat side of the green chalk, the "lights" 
being indicated by harder pressure. 

A stream of water coming down the center of the picture to- 
ward the spectator, is shown by a winding line of white, with 
harder pressure and increasing width as it approaches the 
foreground. The trunks are drawn with brown chalk, over 
the landscape tints with streaks of light yellow on the edges 
to show up and give force. Leaves are to be put in with 
the side of the green chalk, in a mass ; branches are to be 
marked out, over the green foliage tint, with yellow, and 
the outline of the different masses of leaves, and the lights 
of the foliage, by the flat side of light yellow chalk. 

Grasses in the foreground are represented by firm, irregu- 
ular vertical lines of green, lightened by strokes of yellow. 
Flowers, unless of a particular kind, are best indicated by a 
suggestive dab of the brightest red, blue, or white. A palm 
tree is rapidly and effectively made by bold vertical strokes 
of the green chalk, for the trunk, with spreading lines of 
the same to represent its foliage. 

Should you desire to introduce figures into the landscape, 
make no attempt at minute delineation. Suggest the figures 



132 



THE BLACK-BOARD Itf THE SUKDAY-SCHOOL. 



by a mass of the desired color, lighting with touches of 
white. 

It must be recollected that these pictures are to be viewed 
from a distance, and a distance softens and subdues the 
effect. Effects which look rude as you view them while 
drawing, have a very different appearance to the class. In 
practicing color, drawing it is well to familiarize yourself 
with the effects of different distances upon a picture by 




Fig. 128.— Method of Tinting Large Figure. 



.owing your work from time to time from greater or less 
removed points. 

You may have occasion to present a large figure, either 
head and bust, or full length, upon the black-board. 

Select the colors with which you intend to draw. Wo 
will say face and neck, red, and drapery purple. Outline 
the whole design with, say brown crayon. Then go over 



THE BLACK-BOARD 1ST THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 133 

the outer edge of this outline with white, making firm 
clean lines, and putting in details omitted in making the 
first outline, following the same general direction of the 
lines. 

We now come to the coloring of the face and figure. 
This is not to be done by filling up with solid color, but 
by drawing inside the outline with whatever color it is 
desired to suggest. Take the flat side of the crayon, and 
put in a broad streak of color, all around the inside of the 
outline, having the color more distinct (by harder pressure 
upon that end of the crayon) where it touches the outline, 
and growing less distinct as it merges into the black, in 
which color the general surface inside the figure is to 
remain. This suggests color, and, for a large figure on the 
black-board, is pleasanter and more effective than were the 
figure to be completely covered with color. 

A well drawn figure, as above suggested, will show that 
the black-board has its own distinctive capacities for 
beauty, which, though different, may be as effective, as a 
white surface. 



XIII. 

REVIEWS. 



Every teacher knows the necessity of frequent reviews. 
We are not called to dwell upon the subject of its great 
importance. It is a much shorter and easier way for 
the author to take this for granted ; for it saves argument, 
ink and type. 

Eeviews have been conducted without the aid of the 
black-board ; but we will find no pleasure in dwelling on 
the suffering of the teacher or pupils on that solemn oc- 
casion. 

A review has a natural tendency to become wearisome, 
and it is of the greatest importance that we should make it 
as cheerful as possible, that the interest and attention of 
our pupils be retained. 

A good review refreshes the memory, and also reduces 
the knowledge, already acquired from the several lessons, 
to a homogenous and symmetrical form, as a whole, which 
is more easily remembered afterward. 

This chapter will contain no arbitrary rules for conduct- 
ing a review. Every teacher and superintendent must 
adapt the review to the conditions and peculiarities of 
their respective classes and schools. The purpose of this 
chapter is to give specimens of actual reviews, which have 
been successfully conducted, as suggestions to the inexperi- 
enced. 

A Sunday-School Review should always embrace the 



THE BLACK-BOARD 1ST THE. SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



135 



spiritual teachings with, the lesson, as the following from 
the board of W. 0. Tisdel : 

CITIES OP REFUGE, 

The names of the Cities of Refuge were called for, and 
as the answers were given they were written on the right ; 
iiter that the sign post was made on the left. (Fig, 129.) 

The names of the cities were erased, and with two or 
three strokes with the crayon the sign post was changed 
into a cross, and left as in fig. 130. 



Refuge 



KedesK 
ShecKem 

Hebron 

Bezer 

RamotK 

Golan 



Fig. 129. 




Fig. 130. 



136 THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 

The plan of the following Review (ten lessons from 
John,) is to gain attention, and to interest by keeping the 
minds of the pupils employed with the pictures. These 
can be prepared beforehand ; in the present instance they 
were drawn during the progress of the Review. 

KEVIEW. — JOHN 1 : 1-14. — 1ST LESSON. 

Question. " What is this ?" 




A. "The Sun. " 

Q. "What do we receive from it ?" 

A. « Light. " 

It also sustains the life of all living things. Without it 
all would die. Who is spoken of a the life and light of 
men in the first lesson ? 

(Working outline, &c, &c.) 




2nd lesson. — john i : 35-46. 
What is this ? 




What is its nature ? 



THE BLACKBOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 137 

Whom did John the Baptist speak of as a Lamb ? 

What did he call Him ? 

What did the priests of the tabernacle do with the 
Lamb? 

Who followed Jesus ? 

Are you a follower of the Lamb ? 

(The reader must bear in mind that the Review is not 
given in full, but only enough to suggest the plan. ) 

LESSON 3.— JOHN ii : 1, 11. 
What? 




Ancient water pots. 
How many ? 
Six. 

On what occasion did Jesus order six water pots to be 
filled with water ? 

What occurred to the water ? &c. , &c. 

Will you be at the marriage supper of tho Lamb ? 

lesson 4. — JOHN in: 5-16. 

Who came to Jesus by night ? 

What did he ask ? . 

What did Jesus then say ? i 

What is this picture ? 



J§S 



What are eyes for ? 



138 THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 

If it was entirely dark could we see with our eyes ? 

What do we have to enable our eyes to see ? 

We must have the natural light to see natural objects, 
and to see spiritual things we must have spiritual light. 
Being born again, is as though we. had been all our lives 
in darkness, and suddenly light was given us. So that 
those things we could not before see, though really exist- 
ing, are distinguished. 

Have you that light ? 

lesson 5. — JOHN iv : 5-15. 
What? 




A well. 

Of what well does this lesson tell ? 

Jacob's. 

Who was there ? 

Jesus. 

Who joined him ? &c, &c. 

Would you like to drink of the living water ? 

lesson 6. — JOHN Y : 5-15. 

A strong hand. Power to help. Helpless hand. Wl 
needed help in this lesson ? &c. 




Do you need this help. 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 139 

lesson 7. — job vi : 47-58. 
Bread, the staff of life. What do we pray for ? &c. 




Our souls must also be fed. Who is the Bread of Life ? 
Is your soul sustained by Him ? 

lesson 8. — JOHN yii : 70-76. 

Bible. Whose words are in the Bible ? 




What report did the officers give of Jesus ? 

Is not His word as powerful now ? 

Do you see the beauty of Christ's words ? 

lesson 9.— JOHN Yin : 28-36. 

What is the picture ? 




The sun shining on a wintry scene. 

What becomes of the streams of water in winter ? 

Frozen up. 

How can they be let free ? 



140 THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 

By the sun shining upon them. 

"What does Jesus say will set us free ? 

Truth, like the sun shining upon the frozen stream, will 
melt our cold, hard hearts, and help our hearts to flow to- 
ward God. 

LESSON 10. — JOHN IX : 1-11. 

A light house. To point out danger and show the way 




to the harbor. A beacon in time of danger, &c, &c. 
Who is the light of the world ? Is that light shining for 
you ? 

LESSON 11. — JOHN X : 1-11. 

What? 




Shepherd's crook. 

How used ? &c. 

Do you know his voice ? 

lesson 12. — JOHN xin : 1, 9. 
What? 




What were the customs of the time and country in re- 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



141 



gard to washing ? Who washed the disciples' feet ? When ? 
Where ? What did he say ? &c. 
Are you ready for humble service ? 

lesson 12.— JOHN xiv : 1-7. 

What ought to be the dearest spot on earth ? Where 
should our eternal home be ? Is there a place for you ? 




Again, let the reader be warned not to consider this as a 
complete Review, for it is only a rough sketch, to sug- 
gest a method. You, reader, are the best judge of its value 
to your school. 



WinJpihitI 



'EApEMAKERf 
EftSECUTEO Ijl 



lERCIFUL 

.. .».» it 



>, AND THIRST 






The above is an example of simple lesson Review, which 
may be partly prepared beforehand and finished out be- 
fore the class, or finished entirely beforehand. In the 
former case the two large initials, P and M, should be 
drawn in carefully; also the word "Blessed" and the 
fountain. The rest drawn from the class by questions, 



142 THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 

and the correct answers put down in their places, until the 
design is complete. Of course in such a case the success 
of the lesson depends a great deal upon the ability of the 
class to answer. 



SECOND QUAETEELY EEVIEW* 



1 1ST T £3 DR, NATIO *T-A.31i 

SERIES OESUMAY-SCHOOL LESSONS FOR1875. 



I. —OBJECT. 

-call the facts and teachings. 

-store the events to their proper historic order. 

TO HC Hi -unite the separated lessons, and find the drift and teach- 
ing of the whole. 

I -urge the practical lessons as intensified by this grouping. 



RE 



II.— CHARACTER 

It is necessary that our Review should be — 
AActive ; requiring each Member's co-operation. 

X* ogical in its progress. 

JLarnest, commanding interest and securing a vigorous exercise of the memory. 

Q 

Jjimple, easily understood and conducted. 

Q 

Spiritual, thoroughly religious in its influence. 

V brious in connection and application, and 

1H urturing. Souls are to be fed with the WORD. 

* Presented at the Weekly Meeting of New York Superintendents by Frank A, 
Ferris, Superintendent of the Fourteenth Street Presbyterian Church Sun day- School. 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 143 

A Review does not contemplate the teaching of new truth, but the recalling of that 
which has been already learned. Yet, in the present case. tha association of twelve 
lessons, which, though distinct, are still naturally connected, will necessarily present 
new views of facts and fresh practical lessons, which should be clearly set forth. Let 
the Review be not simply an entertainment, but 

A LESSON. 



III.— ORDER OP REVIEW. 



RESPONSIVE READINGS. 

* An excellent Scripture reading to open this service will be found in Psalm 106. 
40-48. 



SONG. 

Let as many familiar hymns be used in the progress of the exercise as the Leader 
may deem expedient. The selections should be carefully made— however, so that each 
may be in harmony with the sentiment last developed. 



PRAYER. 

A minute spent in united, silent prayer, after the reading, will fitly i ntroduce the 
recitation of the Titles, &c. 



RECITATIONS. 



Much should be made of the Titles, Golden Texts, and Topics. They may p 
keys by which we can open the doors of memory upon rich stores gathered from Tx. 
WORD in our three months' study. 

Let them first be recited by the entire school in concert. Then, as confidence has 
been secured, let them be given responsively by three divisions of the School or by 
separate classes as may be designated by the Leader. After a little practice, with the 
aid of the Chart or papers, let these helps be put aside and then repeat them in con- 
cert, depending entirely upon the memory. With a little care and effort on the part 
of the Leader, the School will take up this exercise with real enthusiasm. 

For the sake of illustration, a copy is here presented of the Topics selected for the 
half year's lessons in the Berean Series, which are admirably grouped for the Review 
by Rev. Dr. Vincent. 



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146 



THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



CHRONOLOGY. 

The date of our lessons may be vividly impressed upon the memory through the 
eye, by a simple line (as illustrated below), drawn upon the black-board in the 
presence of the School, first divided into four sections, each representing one thousand 
years, and these subdivided at the date of important events. Mark the year above 
and the event below the line. Call for each event and date as they are marked. 
The initial letters only will be quite sufficient to put on the board. When this has 
been done, review all, and quickly draw a circle, in colored chalk, 'about the half- 
thousand years in which all the events of our half year's lessons fall, and their date 
and relative position will be thoroughly fixed in the mind. 



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GEOGRAPHY. 



In the same simple manner, aided also by an outline map, let the memory be re- 
freshed as to the location and relative position of— 



THE LAND OF 
Mesopotamia, 

Moab, 
Midian, 
Philistia, 
Amnion, 

Let the School give the connection in which we have learned of these places in our 
lessons. 



AND ALSO, 
Sheehein, 
Ophrah, 

Valley of Jezreel, 
Gaza, 



Bethlehem. 
Shiloh. 
Me z pah. 
Raman. 
Gilgal. 



HISTORY. 

Three classes of Governors have been at the head of Israel in the course of our 
quarter's lessons. A few questions, with a simple use of the black-board, and a brisk 
concert recitation, will recall all these, as follows, viz.: 



THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



147 



1491—1426. 

LEADERS. 

1 Moses, 

2 Joshua. 



1406— 1095.— JUDGES. 



1 Othniel, 

2 Ehud, 

3 Shanigar, 

4 Deborah, 

5 Gideon, 

6 Tola, 
8 Jair, 



8 Jephthah, 

9 Ibzan, 

10 Elon, 

11 Abdon, 

12 Samson, 

13 Eli, 

14 Samuel. 



1095. 

KING. 
1 SauL 



It will only be necessary to put the initial letter of each name on the board. 



Six times Israel has been oppressed by enemies : 

1 By Mesopotamians, 8 years. 

2 " Moabites, 18 " 

3 " Canaanites, 20 " 

4 " Midianites, 7 " 

5 fi Philistines & ^ g M 

Ammonites, 

6 " Philistines, 40 " 



Delivered by 



Othniel. 
Ehud. 
Deborah & 
Barak. 
Gideon. 

Jephthah. 

Samson & 
Samuel. 



REVIEW OF TITLES. 

Interest may be developed and the memory assisted by simple questions, each of 
which can be answered bp reciting the title of some lesson of the quarter. 

These answers may be given by the entire school in concert, or by designated 
classes. When the Superintendent has announced the question, let a pause ensue. 
Then, at his signal, many will be able to respond, instead of having all the answers 
given by a few of "our highest scholars." 



QUESTIONS. 

IN WHICH LESSON DO WE LEARN OF 

A solomn pledge made to God ? - - - - - A ns. Israel's Promise. 

A model daughter ? - - - - - - - - " Ruth and Naomi. 

A strange call at night ? ------- M The Child Samuel. 

The failure of good resolutions ? ----- «« The Promise Broken. 

A blind man's last work ? - - - - - . " The death of Samson. 

A fatal fall? -- -- - - --- - «< The death of Eli. 

An important selection ? ------- " Saul Chosen. 

A wonderful revelation to a farmer ? - - - - - ' * Call of Gideon. 

The gift of a thankful woman ? - - - - - "A Praying Mother. 

A cold water army ? ----_---" Gideon's Army. 

God and an aged ruler rejected? - - - - - ■' A King Desired. 

A godly ruler leading a wicked people to repentance ? - ■* Samuel, the Judge. 



148 THE BLACK-BOAUD IK THE SUKDAY-SCHOOL. 
REVIEW OF GOLDEN TEXTS. 

In the same manner the Golden Texts may be reviewed. Great care should be 
taken to develop from each a simple and practical religious truth. Here reverence 
and tenderness should clearly mark our work. 



QUESTIONS. 

IN WHICH TEXT ARE WE TAUGHT 

The necessity of constant watchfulness ? 

Ans.— 'They soon forgat, &c." 
The secret of every Christian's success ? 

Ans.— " Lo, I am with you alway." 
The way into Christ's kingdom ? 

Ans.— " Whosoever shall not receive." 
The importance of proper companions ? 

Ans. — M He that walketh with wise men." 
The privilege of consecrating our dearest possessions to the Lord ? 

Ans. — " 1 have lent him," 

The duty of parental discipline ? 

Ans. — " Chasten thy son." 

The value of righteous rulers ? 

Ans. — " By the blessing of the upright." 
One reason why a Christian may trust in the Lord, even in the greatest difficulties ? 

Ans. — " There is no restraint to the Lord." 
One reason why we should pray " Thy will be done?" 

Ans. — " He gives them their request." 
The best source of confidence ? 

Ans. — " It is better to trust in the Lord." 
The expression of a young Christian toward the Church of Christ ? 

Ans.— "Thy people shall be my people." 
True resolutions to Christian faithfulness? 

Ans.— "The Lord our God will we serve.*' 



RE-UNITING. 

Let us now search for some cord of connection, which shall bind all these lessons 
together in their instruction for us. Of whom have we studied ? God's own people, 
Israel. Is it true that in each of our twelve views, though individuals seemed often 
the central figures, God was still dealing, through the individuals, with His own 
chosen nation, and bringing instruction to them ? 

The black-board will be very useful in thus summing up. Take the titles of the 
lessons in their regular order, on the left of the board (the first letters only Of the 
title words need be used), and opposite each write down the condition of, or special 
instruction to Israel as it shall be fonnd in the special verse selected from that lesson. 
Use colored chalk f 01 initial .etters, &c, as illustrated on the next page. Let the whole 
school take their Bibles. When the correct answer has been secured, and while the 
Superintendent is writing it down, let the school be finding the next reference. Thus 



LESSON. 
1 


Josh. 


2 


Judere 


3 " 


4 " 


5 " 


6 


Ruth 


7 


1 Sam. 


8 


1 " 


9 


....1 " 


10 


....1 " 


11 

12 


....1 " 
....1 " 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN" THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL 149 

time will be saved and every one be employed. The more the school can do in th e 
review, the greater will be the interest of the members in it. 

The Superintendent will need to prepare a question upon each text given below, 
that will draw out in reply the answer printed. 

TEXT. ON BLACK-BOARD. 

24 : 16 & 24, CONSECRATED ISRAEL. 

2 : 15 Distressed by defeat. 

6 : 13 Impoverished by enemies. 

7 : 7 Saved through the few by Jehovah. 

16 : 31 Called to mourn a hero. 

1 : 16 Instructed to fidelity by a heathen* 

1 : 27 Persuaded to prayer. 

3 : 9 Led to listen for the Lord. 

4 : 17 Incited to parental duty. 

7 : 12 Nurtured to faithfulness. 

8 : 9 Earnestly warned. 

10 : 19 Delivered to their own way. 

Place underneath on the board the last clause of 1 Sam. 12 : 22. 

THE BOARD WILL THEN SHOW THE FOLLOWING : 

n-p- CONSECRATED ISRAEL. 

2 P— B— X/istressed by defeat. 

3 C — of G — X mpoverished by enemies. 

4 G — A— |5 aved through the *ew by Jehovah. 

5 D — of S — \J ailed to mourn a hero. 

6 R— and N— X nstructed to fidelity by a Heathen. 

7 P — M — Xersuaded to prayer, 

8 C— S— Xied to listen for the Lord. 

9 D— of E — X ncited to parental duty. 

10 S— the J— Si urtured in faithfulness. 

11 K— D— JCiarnestly warned. 

12 S— C — X/elivered to their own way. 

"BECAUSE 

" It hath pleased the LORD to make you His People/' 

THE TWELVE ARE ONE. 

The above titles and lessons may be easily connected in an eliptical recitation, the 
Leader giving connecting links, while the School respond with the points on 'the 
board, somewhat as follows, viz.: 



150 THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



Leader.— By 

L. the Hebrew people were pledged anew 

to be a— 
L. But ere' long we see — 
L. and God corrects their sin, for we find 

them — 
L. And when He moves to redeem them by— 
L. Israel is utterly — 
L. Yet with the three hundred of — 
L. By strange methods, Israel is — 
L. By the lives and deeds of individuals, 

Israel is also taught by God. As in — 
L. the people are — 

L. So in the sweet love of— 
L. every one is — 
L. Also by — 

L. every anxious heart is — 
L. Who could know the story of— 
L. and not be — 

L. In God's rebuke that preceded and an- 
nounced — 
L. surely every Father must have been — 
L. Under the teaching of — 
L. we have found this wayward people — 
L. But ere long they again reject God, for 

we hear of— 
L. And though by the aged prophet they 

are — 
L. They persist in their plan, for we see — 
L. and we are sure they are again to know 

suffering for sin, when they are — 



School.— Israel's promise. 

S. Consecrated Israel. 

S. The Promise Broken. 

S. Distressed by defeat. 

S. The Call of Gideon. 

S. Impoverished by enemies. 

S. Gideon's Army. 

S. Saved through the few by Jehovah 

S. The Death of Samson. 

S. Called to mourn a hero. 

S. Ruth and Naomi, 

S. Instructed to fidelity by a heathen 

S. The Praying Mother, 

S. Persuaded to Prayer. 

S. The Call of Samuel, 

S. Led to listen for the Lord, 

S. The Death of Eli— 

S. Incited to parental duty 

S. Samuel the Judge, 

S. Nurtured in faithfulness, 

S. A King desired. 

S. Earnestly warned, 

S. Saul Chosen, 

S. Delivered to their own way. 



APPLICATION. 

Show how carefully God has preserved all this history three thousand years for our 
instruction, and the importance that we should perceive and remember these les- 
sons. Print up the board from ■ ' Consecrated Israel, " and j ust in line with the initial 
letter, below the word S 
E 
E. 
When the above summary has been memorized, let all but the initial letters be 
rubbed from the board, and there will remain— 



THE BLACK-BOARD Itf THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 151 



E 

E 

CONSECRATED ISRAEL 

D 

I 
S 

c 
I 

p 

L 
I 
N 

E 
D 

" BECAUSE it hath pleased the LORD to MAKE YOU HIS PEO- 
PLE." 

Here then we find what all these years of strange Providences meant to Israel, and 
why God disciplined them. 

I. By trial disciplined. 

II. Disciplined because adopted. 

Let the School in concert read Heb. xii: 5-6 & 9-10: "And ye have forgotten the ex- 
hortation which speaketh unto you as unto children. My son, despise not thou the 
chastening of the Lord, not faint when thou art rebuked of Him." 

"For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He 
receiveth." 

"Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave 
them reverence : shall we much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, 
and live?" 

"For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for 
our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness." 

This will introduce a brief address from the Pastor or Superintendent, drawing 
practical comparison between this history and God's providential dealing with each of 
us, in its nature, its object and the improvement we are making under it. 



CLOSING TEXT. 



Golden Text.— "Only fear the Lord, and serve him in truth with all your heart, 
for consider how great things he hath done for you." — 1 Sam. 12: 24. 
The Session may be fitly closed with silent prayer. 



XIV. 

ALLEGORIES. 

Whex I was a little boy I was very sick and had to 
remain in bed in a darkened room ; as I grew better I 
longed to be out ; I wanted to see the bright sun. Al- 
though the room was darkened, I could tell when the sun 
was shining, because of the brighter light upon the cur- 
tains, and I used to take a great deal of comfort in think- 
ing how bright it was out among the trees and fields. 

I couldn't see the sun, but I knew it was behind the 
curtain, because of the light. Xow, after I came to be in- 
terested in the Bible, I found it was something like the 
curtains ; light shone through the curtain, and I knew 
that behind the curtain was yet greater light. So it is with 
the truths of the Bible. 

But behind these truths are still brighter ones that give 
us our hope and delight just as the light shining through 
the curtain meant the glorious sun to me. So the simple 
stories of the Bible mean wonderful and glorious truths of 
God's law. To illustrate, let us examine the lesson taught 
by Jesus in relation to 

THE BREAD OF LIFE. 

Jesus had taken His disciples into a desert place to be 
alone, but the people followed Him ; He fed them and 
taught them. 

Xow, why did the multitude follow them — for something 
to eat ? Xo; but they were hungry — not for bread at first, 
but for the Gospel. Jesus was telling them sweet and 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 153 

hopeful things that satisfied the hungering of their souls. 
At first they were hungry to hear Jesus. 

And Jesus fed them ; He fed them with the truth for 
their souls, and then when their bodies needed nourish- 
ment, He fed them with bread for their bodies. So we see 
that to want something to eat is not the only way to be 
hungry. A natural longing for anything is hunger. If 
we want a drink, we say we thirst, but it is only another 
expression for hunger — hunger and thirst mean the same. 

Now, God has made us so that we get hungry and 
thirsty, and He has also made something to satisfy our 
wants. So He has created something to satisfy every 
want. He never created a natural longing unless He also 
found means to gratify it. 

As the natural bread nourishes and gives vigor to the 
body, so the Bread of Heaven gives new strength to the 
soul. When we feel what a beautiful thing it is to be 
Holy and wish we were better, then we are hungering for 
the Bread of Heaven. 

"I am the Bread of Life; he that cometh to Me shall 
never hunger, and he that belie veth in Me shall never 
thirst." 

Now, we will consider the principal things for which we 
all hunger. Our common instinct is to yearn for happi- 
ness. We do not all know where to look for it, but we all 
hunger for Joy. (Enlarge and print the word Joy upon 
the board.) 

There is no healthy mind but dreads the idea of a 
limited existence — to go into the deep darkness of utter 
nothingness. All are hungry for Eternal Life. (Print 
Eternal Life under the word Joy.) 

We eagerly seek a way to guide us to "the Forever, " 
and "Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have 
Eternal Life." John v : 1-39. (Print Scriptures under 
Eternal Life.) 



154 THE BLACK-BOAKD Itf THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 

And yet we want more than the Scriptures ; we desire 
understanding, that we may apprehend the marvelous 
words in God's book : 

"Open Thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous 
things out of Thy law." Psalm 119: 18. (Write Under- 
standing under Scripture.) 

And lastly, we long to be preserved from evil ; saved 
from destruction; to be so placed that we shall fear no 
evil — no calamities : 

"Fear ye not, stand still and see the Salvation of the 
Lord." 

We hunger for peaceful security. (Print Salvation be- 
neath Understanding.) 

These are our needs. What does God give us to satisfy 
our hunger ? Where shall we find all these good things ? 

" For God so loved the world that He gave His only be- 
gotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not 
perish, but have everlasting life." John 3 : 16. 

We want Joy. God gives it in Jesus. All of these 
longings are satisfied by Jesus, the Bread of Life. 

(The board now appears as follows:) 



fJoy, \ 

~ , , I Eternal Life, 

&0i pes IU scriptures, \m Breai of Life, 

1 Understanding, 
. Salvation, J 



But, then, how do we feed on Jesus ? 

As a flower draws its life from the root, so our lives 
grow up from our hearts. The flower feeds on its root, 
our spiritual lives feed upon what is in our hearts ; to feed 
on Christ, we must have Christ in our hearts. 

Two bulbs, very much alike, are planted side by side. 
(Draw.) From one grows a beautiful flower, from the 



THE BLACK-BOARD IX THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 155 

other a rank and poisonous weed. What makes the differ- 
ence ? There is that hidden within the bulb which feeds 
the plant and determines its future character. 

Two children, appearing very much alike, grow up, one 
full of grace and moral beauty, winning the affection of 
all, to a happy, useful maturity, while the other brings grief 
and sorrow, and matures to a life which, like the poison 
weed, sheds an influence of evil. 

What causes the difference ? 

One life has taken root in Selfishness, and all actions are 
derived from this inspiration — appetites and passions are 
indulged which are destructive both to the selfish life and 
all who come in contact with it. 

The other is rooted in Christ — Christ is in this heart 
and feeds the life. And from Him there is ever a holy 
consciousness of living for a high purpose, a conviction of 
a glorious destiny. A love shed abroad in the heart which 
is distilled from the life as the perfume from the flower, 
giving sympathy and help to all around. 




156 



THE BLACK-BOARD IX THE SUXDAY-SCHOOL. 



CHRIST EEJECTED. 

The following is a condensed exercise in simple allegories 
and symbols. The title prompts the question : 

How do we receive Christ ? The Jews refused to have 
Him for their king. Do we crown Him our king ? 

This is the crown with which the Eoman soldiers crown- 
ed Him. 




Why did they use this crown of thorns ? 

To mock Him. 

Important Lesson : It was not the thorns which hurt 
Him. 

What then ? 

The mockery. 

Then if we mock Him, it is as though we were crowning 
Him with thorns. 

To pretend to honor Him for the sake of temporary 
benefits, wealth, position, or honor, is to mock Him. 

To take His name in vain is to mock Him and crown 
Him with thorns. 

Kings have scepters as a symbol of power. This is the 
scepter they put in Jesus' hand. (Fig. 131.) 

What did they mean ? 

The scepter is an emblem of power ; the reed is a symbol 
of weakness. 

It is not a hard riddle. They evidently meant that they 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



157 



despised His power, and in this way manifested their con- 
tempt. 

Lessoyi: When we refuse to obey His laws and acknowl- 
edge His kingdom, we despise His authority, and are 
giving Him a reed for a scepter. 

Did they place Him on a throne ? 

No ; they nailed Him to the cross. 

This is the only throne they would give Him, and then 




Fig. 131. 



hailed Him in derision, "King of the Jews." Head Heb. 
vi: 6. 

IIoiv then should ice receive Christ? 

When a king is crowned he is crowned by the people ; 
that is, the act of coronation is not confined to the person 
who actually places the crown upon his head, but all who 
shout, "Long live the king," all who acquiesce in the 
crowning and resolve to support the king, really crown 
him. 

How then can we crown Christ as our king ? 



158 



THE BLACK-BOAKD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



By acknowledging Him as our king, and resolving to be 
faithful, in a word, by being Loyal. (Print the letter L,) 

By obeying His laws and giving heed unto His wishes : 
by Obedience. (Print the letter 0.) 




Fig. 132. 

By respect and reverence our King is the king of kings 
and Lord of lords. He must be venerated. (Print the 

letter V.) 

We must then esteem Him above all else, nothing must 
rival Him in our estimation. (Print the letter E.) 

And now we have given Him a crown which He values 
above all others. We have crowned Him with Love. 




THE BLACK-BOABD IN THE SUXDAY-SCHOOL. 159 

His scepter now is no longer a reed. We have crowned 
Him our king, and we love to know His will, that we may 
please Him. His scepter points out to us our duties. His 




throne crowned with love and enthroned in our hearts, all 
our prayers are answered. The Kingdom of God has come 
to us, and His will will be done by us on earth as it is in 
Heaven- 

" Take my poor heart and let it be 
Forever closed to all but Thee ; 
Seal then my breast and let me wear 
That pledge of Love forever there." 



160 THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 

THE TEEE IN THE DESERT. 

Upon a barren desert where the ground was sterile and 
unfruitful and where grew no living thing, where no water 
refreshed the parched earth, and all was a dreary waste, 
there fell a seed. Along the ground were strewn the bones 
of those who had perished, for many pilgrims passed over 
the desert bound for a distant city. 

And the seed was crushed into the earth by the feet of 
those who passed, and it died, and there grew from it a 
tender shoot (John xii : 24), which flourished and in- 
creased, and grew into a tree, and threw its limbs far over 
the plain — leaves covered its boughs, and it blossomed and 
bore fruit ; it drew the dew from heaven and the rain. 
From its roots there flowed a spring of water, and beneath 
its shade the verdure sprang up. 

Now, as the pilgrims passed on their journey, they found 
beneath its branches a resting place where they could find 
shelter beneath the shade of the great tree and eat of its 
fruit, and refresh themselves from the water which sprang 
from its roots, and renew their strength for the remainder 
of their journey. 




THE BLACK-BOARD IN" THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



161 



From the seed that fell upon an inhospitable ground 
and was trampled under foot and died, there sprang this 
tree — a place of rest and refreshing in a dreary land. — 
Isaiah 41 : 3. 

Life is a journey, and often a weary one, and needs some 
place of refuge, some shade from the fervid heat of temp- 
tation, some cool fountain where we may bathe and wash 
away the dust of the < arth. 

There is One who laid down His life that we might 
have that shelter. Even the death upon the cross. Be- 
fore He arose from the grave the cross was a thing of 
horror to all — a disgraceful instrument of ignominious 
punishment. After the resurrection it became a symbol 
of hope, and it is now no longer a symbol of death, but a 
memorial of life everlasting. 

A tree of Life, and beneath its sheltering arms the 
weary soul finds comfort and rest. Its fruits are forgive- 
ness and undying love, and it is sought by the pilgrims 
journeying to the heavenly city. Its power is felt more 
and more, and it is drawing all men beneath its shelter. 
John xii : 32. 




162 THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUKDAY-SCHOOL. 

This allegory is taught by using the chalk to illustrate 
the narrative as it is told. For instance, when speaking 
of the desert plain, a broad horizontal line is drawn w 7 ith 
the side of a red or brown crayon ; as the seed is mentioned 
it is drawn below the line and the little shoot drawn with 
green chalk, which is enlarged and changed to the propor- 
tions of a large tree, from which branches are drawn ; 
as leaves and fruit, as they are mentioned. 

The fountain is then put in with white chalk and the 
pilgrims added, and the picture is completed along with 
the discourse. 

As the cross is spoken of, the broad side of a soft, white 
crayon is passed rapidly over the tree, so that it becomes a 
cross ; a few rapid strokes of the yellow chalk give the 
effect of a bright light radiating from it. 

If the teacher chooses a subject of this kind, the experi- 
ment should be tried privately beforehand to ensure a suc- 
cessful lesson. 



XV. 

some objections to the black-board in the 
sunday.school. 

There are two classes of people who object to the 
black-board in the Sunday-School — firstly, those who ob- 
ject to anything in the Sunday-School which had no place 
there when they were children ; and, secondly, intelligent, 
progressive and earnest Sunday-School workers, who, from 
some unfortunate experience with it, have come to regard 
the black-board with suspicion, if not with absolute con- 
tempt. 

The class first named embraces some persons who may 
have many excellent qualities, but whose minds have a 
tendency to run in grooves of prejudice which prevent 
candor and fairness in their judgments. Such, for exam- 
ple, as the reverend gentleman, who declared, at one of our 
recent Sunday-School assemblies, that a black-board had 
no business in a Sabbath-School, it being a secular appara- 
tus, suggesting thoughts of arithmetic and geometry, and 
having nothing to do with religion ! 

Such persons are ready with peurile and whimsical ob- 
jections to every change. Their great-grandmother, doubt- 
less, raised equally forcible and cogent reasons against the 
introduction of stoves in meeting-houses in lieu of the es- 
tablished custom of individual foot- warmers. Their grand- 
fathers, doubtless, strenuously resisted the introduction of 
organ music in churches, and their sons and grandsons 
and great-great-grandsons will probably afflict our descend- 



164 THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL 

ants unto the third and fourth generations, with captious ob- 
jections to every innovation which time and experience may 
suggest to be an improvement upon the particular method 
which may be then in vogue. 

Such persons regard with suspicion every effort to in- 
terest the young in divine truths, by presenting them in 
attractive forms, or to combine with the presentation of the 
"beauty of holiness" the cultivation of such aesthetic 
tastes as shall lead to a preference for things good rather 
than for things bad. 

Such carpers, were they permitted to draw the dividing 
line between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of 
Satan, would, I fear, give Satan more than his share of 
the pleasant things of both the natural and the spiritual 
realms. 

Such persons, even if their observation finally forces them 
to confess that there may be some good effected by the 
black-board in the Sunday-School work, are extremely 
loth to give cordial assent to obvious facts, or hearty ap- 
proval of its success. 

Nothing will satisfy them. If you do well you will be 
apt to receive a suggestion from one of these gentry, that 
too much attention paid to the embellishment of the black- 
board is apt to take the mind off the lesson and religious 
thoughts to an admiring contemplation of the artistic 
skill ( ?) displayed ! 

It is useless to argue with such persons. Their criticisms 
usually carry little weight, for, even in cases where valid 
objections could be raised, they seldom see them. 

The second class — those who are cautious about making 
changes, until satisfied that such changes are beneficial ; 
and those who draw their unfavorable impressions of the 
black-board from an improper or unskillful use of it, which 
they may have chanced to witness, — these are entitled to 
respectful consideration. 

v 



THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 165 

Their own sense of fairness and desire to promote the 
efficiency of our Sunday-Schools will doubtless cause them 
to weigh the question fully, and should they be convinced 
of the soundness of the author's views as to the value of 
the black-board in the instruction of the Sunday-School, 
he feels that they will cordially adopt it. Should they be 
unable to reach this conclusion, he respects the honesty of 
their convictions, and wishes them the amplest success in 
whatever form of presentation they find best adapted to 
teach those great truths, the knowledge of which we are 
laboring to promote. 

We have endeavored to show in this volume how not to 
use the black-board, as well as how to use it. Before de- 
ciding upon its rejection or adoption, let us be careful to 
ascertain whether any objections raised apply to the use of 
the board or to its abuse. 

Suppose we ask some of the opponents of the black-board 
why they oppose it. 

" Well," answers one, "I'll tell you. We thought we'd 
be up to the times, and there was Smart, a man of talent, 
and a sign-painter by profession, said he could use it very 




nicely. So we bought a big board and laid in a stock of 
colored chalks, and Smart began to illustrate the lessons. 
His idea was to have large cartoons, and his first picture 



166 



THE BLACK-BOARD LN" THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



was a representation of Samuel and Eli, representing the 
child Samuel entering the high priest's apartment in answer 
to his call. 

" It didn't give entire satisfaction. Some objected to 
the bed-posts; some didn't exactly know why, but the 




artist (?) didn't give their idea of Samuel at all ; and, more, 
over, Eli's nose was altogether out of proportion. The 
children laughed. 




"Then he gave us a series of cartoons, among which 
was David and Goliath, with the doughty Philistine about 
thirty- five feet high in proportion to David. 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUXDAY-SCHOOL. 167 

"But the thing came to a climax when he took to drawing 
allegories. Nobody could ever explain them, because no- 
body but Smart knew what they were meant to mean, and 
he was no talker. He got to going on angels and it had a 
bad effect on the children, who ceased to sing with any 

enthusiasm : 

"*I want to be an angel.' " 

" I'll tell you why I don't believe in the black-boar J in 
the Sunday-School," answers another. "We always con- 
sidered our superintendent a sensible sort of a fellow, un- 
til he attended a Sunday-School convention, last summer. 
After that he got the idea that he must have a black-board, 
and so one was procured, and you'd ought to see some of 
the lessons he gave us ! Why he'd take up a whole session, 
with what he called a 'black-board exercise.' I just took 
one down last Sunday, and I'll show it to you. 

" On entering the school-room last Sabbath afternoon, 
the first thing which met our sight were the words : 




printed in flaming red and yellow chalk, in the center of 
the board. Of course neither teachers nor scholars could 
tell what it meant. Walk in ! It seemed very hospitable, 
and all that, but it had a savor of bar-room invitation, as 
I saw the same legend on a bar-room door as I passed. 
However, our superintendent looked very conscious, and 
seemed to enjoy our evident bewilderment. 

" ' Walk in ' stared the school in the face throughout 



168 THE BLACK-BOARD IX THE SUXDAY-SCHOOL. 

the entire session, and we were all on tip-toe of expectation 
when our superintendent stepped up to the board, chalk 

hand, to develop his ' exercise/ 

" He said that 'walk in' was synonomous with 'welcome/ 
and an invitation to loiterers at the door, but this was not 
all. K I will put something before it ' continues our super- 
intendent, drawing something with green chalk. 




"'Now what is this?' 

"Pause. 

"'Come, don't be afraid to answer; what does it re- 
semble ? ' 

" ' A Cabbage,' ventures one. 

"'Not quite.' 

"'A Cauliflower.' 

" ' A bunch of leaves.' 

" 'No ! no ! Why, bless me, can't you see what it is ? 
Now what do we make salad out of ? ' 

"'Lobsters.' 

" ' Lobsters ! Yes, and something else. Now think.' 

"'Lettuce.' 

" ' That's it ! Lettuce, Let us walk in.' 

" And our superintendent drew himself up with a con- 
sciousness of having done well. After the sensation caused 
by this unexpected development of the analysis had sub. 
sided r he continued : 

'"Now it reads "Let us walk in," Very well ; where 



THE BLACK-BUARD IX THE SUN DAY-SCHOOL. 169 

shall we walk in, my dear young friends ? Shall we walk 
in — darkness ? ' 

" Of course that suggests the right answer, and our 
superintendent put it down : 




now/ continues our superintendent, 'How 
shall we walk in the light ? — First, let us walk in some- 
thing that begins with an L. What begins with an 
L?' 

"'Walk in Lemons!' shouts a boy, remembering the 
lettuce, and having a confused idea that the lesson has some 
relation to vegetable growth, 

" ' No levity ! we are learning solemn verities, and I 
must have serious attention/ (Boy confounded — Superin- 
tendent continues) : 

" ' L. Let's see. L stands for Liberty. How thank- 
ful we should be that we enjoy liberty/ &c, &c. 

" ' And now the I. What does I stand for ? Why, In- 
nocence. A man was arrested for murder and taken before 
a judge. He said, " I am innocent/' and the judge let 
him go free. Why ! because he walked in innocence.' 

" < And now G. What has G to do with Light ? What 
shall we put for G. 

"A voice : ' Gas !' 

"An audible snicker about the room, but our Superin- 
tendent is equal to the occasion. 

" Very well, " Gas/' Supposing you were walking in a 



170 



THE BLACK-BOARD IIS" THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



dark and dangerous path. How friendly would the light 
of the street lamp be, that you might see your way/ &c, 
&c. 

"' And now comes H. Let me see (soto voce.) Let 
us walk in H — Heaven — that would be nice, but sounds too 
abrupt. Let us walk in H— no, that won't do. Ah ! I 
have it — Hope ! ' 

" ' Hope worketh,' &c, &c. 

"' And now the last letter of our acrostic, T. What 
does T stand for ? 3 

" < Toil-Gate ? ' a voice. 

tct TS6,noJ 

"' Tavern! 5 

" *Tut ! tut ! I think we might bring in here a lesson 
on Temperance.' 

"And our superintendent finishes the 'exercise' with 
a temperance lesson. " ; 





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These are some of the reasons people give as objections 
to the black-board in the Sunday-School. But the objec- 
tion is not really to the board, but to the black-boardist. 

A white man was cast away on an island. The natives 
amused themselves by elaborately tattooing him, until he 
was covered from head to foot with heathen symbols. 
This was objectionable, but was it the victim's fault ? He 
didn't want to be elaborated — neither does the much abused 
black-board. 



XVI. 

TYPES AND SYMBOLS. 

" A symbol is any object, person, act or number which 
is employed to represent moral or spiritual truth." — Nor- 
mal Class. 

"A Type is a diyinely appointed symbol, designed to 
foreshadow or predict something better and higher in the 
future, which is called the Anti-type." — Ibid. 

We are sometimes at a loss to translate to our compre- 
hension the language of the symbols frequently employed 
by the prophets and seers of the Bible ; they appear to us 
often extravagant, and seem to be used sometimes to 
represent entirely different ideas. 

1. "Save me, God ; for the waters are come in unto 
my soul. 

2. "I sink in the deep mire where there is no standing ; 
I am come into deep waters where the floods overflow me." 
— Psm. lxix: 1-2. 

"Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had 
gone over our soul : then the proud waters had gone over 
our soul." — Psm. cxxiv: 4-5. 

The student will observe in these instances that "waters" 
apparently signify affliction. Now, turn to Psm. 23 : 2: 

" He maketh me to lie down in green pastures : he lead- 
eth me beside the still waters." Again, Isaiah It: 1 : 

" Ho ! Every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters" 

In these cases ''waters" seem to signify both comfort 
and affliction ; but a careful observation of the context, in 
cases where "waters" are used to express affliction or 



172 THE BLACK-BOARD Itf THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 

temptation, will show that waters are spoken of as defiled, 
as in Psm. Ixix: 2 ; or, as floods, used, doubtless, to indi- 
cate the troubled waters of the ocean. 

We could not interpret " still waters " to refer to ocean 
or floods, but to a clear lake, on whose banks the green 
verdure flourishes. Living water is the truth made 
manifest by the Holy Spirit. — John* iv: 14. Peter xxii: 
1. 

Pure water invariably symbolizes divine truth in some 
aspect, and is generally spoken of as water, not waters. 

To the Bible student a knowledge of the types and sym- 
bols of the Bible is necessary for an intelligent reading of 
the Word. 2 Tim. hi: 16-17; 2 Peter 1: 21. 

Yet, after we have given this subject a most careful 
study, we are not fitted to interpret the sacred words of 
God's book unless we have the love of God in our hearts — 
unless we have in us "a well of water springing up into 
everlasting life." 

Our hearts, our lives must be flowing Godward before 
we can sit down at His table and eat of the bread of life, 
or drink from the wells of salvation. 

The Lord teaches us (Matt, xiii : 16,) that to His 
church "It is given to know the mysteries of the King- 
dom of Heaven," but to those who are without, He speaks 
in parables that they might see and not perceive, and might 
hear and not understand. His words were the "Spirit 
and the Life."— (Joh^ vi : 63.) Eead 1 Cor. ii : 14; 
Johh- v : 39 ; Luke xxiv : 27-45. 

The following rules from Dr. J. H. Vincent's "Normal 
Class" are well worth the student's careful attention : 

3. A few rules for the interpretation of types, symbols, 
and the figurative language of Scripture generally. 

1. Eemember that as all Scripture is profitable for in- 
struction, the figurative parts of it are not to be neglected. 

2. Eemember that the figurative element in Scripture is 



THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 173 

intended not to conceal, bat to reveal and enforce the truth, 
and is, therefore, to be carefully studied. 

3. Always seek an explanation by the writer himself of 
the figures, types, or symbols he may employ. 

4. Where the writer does not himself furnish such ex- 
planation, seek it from the other writers of the Bible who 
employ and interpret similar figures. 

5. Always compare the apparent teachings of a figure, 
type, or symbol, with the obvious and accepted teachings of 
the Bible. 

6. Do not press comparisons too far, lest you lose the one 
great truth in a mass of insignificant speculations and idle 
fancies. 

The following pictorial symbols are inserted for the con- 
venience of the teacher, they are not arbitrary, but subject 
to modifications and combinations ; they do not cover the 
whole ground, but are chosen as representing the simplest 
and most apparent in the catalogue of symbols. 

They should be used sparingly and understandingly. 
They should be used to elucidate and not to mystify. 

Caution should be observed in regard to putting too 
many on the board at once, and the significance of each 
figure should be carefully and simply explained. They 
are also easily drawn, and will afford excellent practice on 
the black-board. 



KNOWLEDGE. 

"For ye have taken the key of knowledge: ye entered not 
in yourselves, and them that were entering ye hindered." 
— Luke xi: 52. 



174 THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUKD AY-SCHOOL. 




PROMISE. 

" There shall come a star out of Jacob," &c. — Num. 24 : 
17, 

"'We have seen His star in the East, and have come to 
worship Him." 




CHRIST THE WORD. 

"I am the alpha and omega, the beginning and the 
end : I will give to him that is athirst of the fountain of 
the water of life freely. "—Rev. 21: 6. 

"But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give 
him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give 
him shall be in him a well of water springing up into ever- 
lasting life." 

"Jesus the water of life will give 
Freely, freely, freely." 

" Come thou fount of 
Every blessing." 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 175 



VAi/ 




FY\ 



CREATOE. 

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, 
and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is 
no variableness, neither shadow of turning," — James 1 : 
17. 

" For the Lord God is a sun and shield ; the Lord will 
give grace and glory." — Psm. lxxiv: 11. 

" Sun of my soul, my Saviour dear, 
It is not night when Thou art near." 




TRIALS. 

"And he that taketh not his cross and folioweth after 
Me, is not worthy of Me." — Matt, x: 38. 

"But God forbid that I should glory, save in the Cross 
of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified 
unto Me and I unto the world." — Gal. 6: 14. 

" Jesus, I my cross have taken, 
All to leave and follow Thee/' 



176 THE BLACK-BOARD IX THE SUXD AY-SCHOOL. 



^ 




SALVATION. 

"And having made peace through the blood of His 
cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself ; by 
Him, I say, whether they be things in the earth, or things 
in heaven.''— Col. 1: 20. 

"And that He might reconcile both unto God in one 
body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby." — 
Eph. 2: 16. 

1 ' Beautiful cross by faith I see, 
Planted on Calvary for me ; 
Cross of the suffering Lamb of God, 
Under thy pressing weight He trod." 




DELIVERANCE. 

"Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire ?"— Zech. 
3:2. 

"And ve were as a firebrand plucked out of the burn- 
mg:," — Amos, iv: 2. 



THE BLACK-BOARD IX THE SUXDAY-SCHOOL. 177 




CONSECRATION. 

"I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of 
God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, 
acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. " — 
Rom. 12: 1. 

" My body, soul and spirit, 
Jesus I give to Thee, 
A consecrated offering 
Thine evermore to be. 
My all is on the altar, 
I'm waiting for the fire." 




WISDOM. 

" For the commandment is a lamp, and the law is light/' 
— Proy. vi : 23. 

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my 
path." — Psalm cxix: 105. 



178 THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUXDAY-SCHOOL, 




HOLY SPIRIT. 

"And lo, the heavens were opened unto Him, and He 
saw the spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting 
on Him."— Matt. 3: 16. 

"Come, Holy Spirit, heavenly dove, 
With all thy quickening powers." 




TEMPORAL LIFE. 

t ' For here we have no continuing city, but we seek one 
to come." — Heb. xiii: 14. 

"Mine age is departed, and is removed from me as a 
shepherd's tent." — Is a. xxxviii: 12. 

" I'm but a stranger here, 
Heaven is my home." 




HOPE. 
'Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul." 



THE BLACK-BOARD IX THE SUKDAY-SCHOOL. 179 




OPPORTUNITY. 

"For the great door and effectual is opened unto me." — 
1 Cor. xvi : 9. 

"And a door was opened unto me of the Lord." — 2 Cor. 
ii : 12. 

" Behold I stand at the door."— Rev. hi: 20. 

"Depths of mercy can it be, 
That gate was left ajar for me. " 







LOST OPPORTUNITY. 

"And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came ; 
and they that were ready went in with him to the mar- 
riage : and the door was shut." — Matt, xxv: 10. 



180 THE BLACK-BOABD IK THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 




REFUGE FOR THE RIGHTEOUS. 

"But with thee will I establish my covenant : and thou 
shalt come into the ark. — Gen. yi: 18, 

" Other Eefuge have I none, 
Hangs my helpless soul on Thee." 




RETRIBUTION. 

" Neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit." — 
Matt, vii : 18. 

" And said unto it, let no fruit grow on thee henceforth 
forever. And presently the fig tree withered away." — 
Matt, xxi : 19. 

" Cut it down ; why cumbereth it the ground." — Luke 
xiii : 7. 



PEACE. 



THE BLACK-LOAKD Itf THE SUHJJ AY-SCHOOL. 



181 



<^P 



JUSTICE "AND TRUTH. 

" Awake, sword, against my Shepherd, and against the 
man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of Hosts. " — Zech. 
xiii : 7. 

"If I whet my glittering sword and mine hand take hold 
on judgment/'' — Deut. xxxii : 41. 

"'The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." — 
Eph. vi : IT. 




GODLY LIFE. 

"For as the days of a tree are the days of my people." — 
Is a. lxy : 22. 

" And he shall be as a tree."— Psm. i : 3; Jek. xyii ■: 18. 




WEAKNESS. 



isa 



THE BLACK-BOARD LN 1HE SU^DAiT-^CHOUU 




CONSTANCY. 

" For Thou art my rock and fortress." — Psm. xxxi : 3. 

"Unto thee will I cry, Lord my rock."— Psm. xxyiii : 
1. 

"Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to-day, and for- 
ever." — Heb. xiii : 8. 

"Rock of ages cleft forme 
Let me hide myself in thee. n 




BONDAGE. 

" He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out ; he 
hath made my chain heavy." — Sam. hi : 7. 

" Because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with 
this chain." — Acts xxviii : 20. 

"For God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast 
them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of dark- 
ness." — 2 Peter ii : f. 



He "breaks the bonds of canceled sin, 
He set's the prisoner free." 



THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUXDAY-SCHOOL. 



183 




SIN. 

" And the Serpent said unto the woman, he shall not 
surely die." — Gek. hi : 4. 

u And the great dragon was cast out ; that old serpent 
called the Devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole 
world."— Rev. xii : 9. 




RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

And having on the breastplate of Righteousness.' 




DFFILEMENT, UNCLEANNESS. 
u And the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the 



mire. 



184 THE BLACK-BOAJEtD IK THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 




HONOK. 

"For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing?" — 
1 Thess. ii : 19. 

" And when the chief shepherd shall appear, ye shall 
receive a crown of glory that fadeth not awav." — 1 JPeter: 
y:4. 




DAILY MEKCIES. 

" Give us this day our daily bread." — Mat. vi : 11. 
"This is the bread that cometh down from heaven, that 
a man may eat thereof and not die." — John vi : 50. 
"I am that bread of life." — John" vi : 48. 

•"I need thee every hour." 




FAITH. 

"Above all taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall 
be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." — E#h. 
Yl : 16. 



THE BLACK-BOARD Itf THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 185 




GOOD OVERCOMING EVIL. 

And the Lord God said unto the serpent * * * "I will put 
enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy 
seed and her seed ; it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt 
bruise his heel. "—Gen. hi: 14-15. 




UNION. 

" Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on 
earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be 
done for them of my Father which is in heaven." — Mat. 
xviii : 19. 

" For, as we have many members in one body, and all 
members have not the same office ; so, we being many, are 
one body in Christ and every one member one of another." 
—Romans xii : 4. 

" Blessed be the tie that binds 
Our hearts in Christian love. 
The fellowship of kindred minds 
Is like to that above." 
1 COR. Xii : 12 ; Eph. iv : 13-16. 



186 THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 




TEACHING THE GOSPEL. 

"The sower soweth the word." — Mark iv : li. 

" Sowing the seed by the wayside high, 
Sowing the seed on the rocks to die, 
Sowing the seed where the thorns will spoil. 
Sowing the seed in the fertile soil, 
O, what will the harvest be ?" 

Mark iv : 2-8. 




SAVIOUR 

"And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of 
Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots." — Is A. 11 : 
1. 

" I will raise unto David a righteous branch, and a king 
shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and 
justice in the earth." — Jer. xxiii : 5. 



THE BLACK-BOAKD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



187 




FOOLISH STUBBORNNESS. 

" Be ye not as the horse or as the mule, which haye no 
understanding ; whose mouth must be held in with bit and 
bridle/'— Psm. xxxn : 9. 




MERCY. 

"I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token 
of a covenant between me and the earth. " — Gen. ix. : 13. 

" And there was a rainbow round about the throne." — 
Key. iv : 3. 




THE TRINITY. 



188 THE BLACK-BOARD IN" THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 




PRAYER. 

''Let my prayer be set forth before Thee as an incense ; 
and the lifting np of my haivls as the evening sacrifice.' — 
Psm. 141 : 2. 




FRUITFULNESS. 



M Ps. lxxx : 15. 
Isa. v : 1 ?. 
Hosea xiv : 7. 
John* xvi : 8. 




SERVICE. 



THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUKDAY-SCHOOL. 189 




HOLINESS. 

" Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that 
the spirit of God dwelleth in you."— 1 Cor. hi : 14. 



TRUTH. , 

" Mark the perfect man and behold the upright : for the 
end of that man is peace." — Psalm xxxvii: 37. 

"But the highway of the upright is to depart from 
evil."— Psm. 14& 




UNTRUTHFULNESS. 

"Whose ways are crooked, and they forward in their 
paths."— Pbov. 2: 15. 



ft 




POWER. 



390 THE BLACK-BOARD IN IHB SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 





INDUSTRY. 



JUSTICE. 




MERCY SEAT. 






INTEMPERANCE. LOVE. 



CLEANSING. 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 191 




INNOCENCE. 




Xi*.j 




PEOSPERITY. 






RESIGNATION. PURITY. PRAISE. 



192 THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUXDAY-SCHOOL. 




CHRISTIANITY, 

" But God forbid that I should glory save in the cross 
of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified 
unto me, and I unto the world." 

"Nearer my God to thee, 
Nearer to thee ! 
E'en though it be a cross 
That raiseth me." 




GRACE. 

" Howbeit when He, the spirit of truth, is come He will 
guide you into all truth * * * He shall glorify me ; for He 
shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you." — John 
xvi : 13-14. 

" Come Holy Spirit Heavenly dove, 
In these cold hearts of ours." 



XVII. 

EMBLEMATIC BIBLE SERVICE. 

A very interesting and profitable exercise can be obtained 
by using symbols or emblems, in jfee form of a Bible Ser- 
vice. The subjoined readings will illustrate the idea. 

The symbols are to be drawn rapidly in the presence of 
the audience, as the subject is introduced ; or, if this 
method is not practicable, they can be prepared before- 
hand on paper, laid together in their proper order and 
attached to a stick or cord at the top, so that they may be 
thrown over, that the leader may unfurl them singly, dis- 
playing each in turn. 




Leader. — "The Lord is my shepherd ; I shall not want. " 
— Psa. XXIII. 

Class.— "He shall feed His flock. Like a shepherd, He 
shall gather the lambs with His arm and carry them in His 
bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young, " 
— Isa. XL : 11. 

Leader. — " And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are 
men, and I am your God, saith the Lord God." — Ez. 
xxxiv : 31. 



194 THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 

Class. — " Give ear, shepherd of Israel, thou that lead- 
est Joseph like a flock : thou that dwellest between the 
cherubims, shine forth."— Psa. lxxx : 1. 

" Saviour, like a shepherd lead us. 
Much we need thy tendrest care ; 
In thy pleasant pastures feed us, 
For our use thy folds prepare. 

Blessed Jesus, 
Thou bast bought us, thine we are." 




Leader. — " From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, 
when my heart is overwhelmed : lead me to the rock that 
is higher than I." — Psa. lxi : 2. 

Class. — " Truly my soul waiteth upon God : from Him 
cometh my salvation. He only is my rock and my salva- 
tion. — Psa. lxii : 1-2. 

Leader. — " There is none holy as the Lord : for there is 
none beside thee : neither is there any work like our God." 
—1 Sam. ii : 2. 

Class. — " The Lord liveth : and blessed be my rock, and 
let the God of my salvation be exalted. " — Psa. xviii : 46. 

" Rock of ages cleft forme 
Let me hide myself in thee. 
Let the water and the blood, 
From thy wounded side which flowed, 
Be of sin the perfect cure. 
Save me, Lord, and make me pure. " 



THE BLACK-BOARD IX THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 1D5 



MiL./ 




Leader. — " Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, 
I am the light of the world ; he that followeth me shall 
not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." — 
John viii : 12. 

Class. — " The Lord is my light and my salvation ; whom 
shall I fear ? "— Psa. xxvii : 1. 

Leader. — "For the Lord God is a sun and shield : the 
Lord will give grace and glory ; no good thing will he 
withhold from them that walk uprightly." — Psa. lxxxiv : 
11. 

Class. — " Thy sun shall no more go down ; neither shall 
the moon withdraw itself : for the Lord shall be thine 
everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be 
ended/'— Isa. lx : 20. 

" Sun of my soul, thou Saviour dear, 
It is not night if thou be near ; 
O, may no earth-born cloud arise 
To hide thee from thy servant's eyes. 




Leader. — " Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of 
sin." — John - viii : 34. 



196. 



THE LLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL, 



Class. — " For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of 
Israel, I have put a yoke of iron upon the neck of all these 
nations, that they may serv6 Nebuchadnezzar, king of 
Babylon," &c. — Jer. xxviii : 14. V 

Leader. — "The yoke of my transgression is bound by 
His hand ; they are wreathed,, and £ome upon my neck ; 
He hath made my strength to fall ; the Lord hath de- 
livered me into their hands, from whom I am not able to 
rise up." — Lam. i : 14. 

Class.— "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh), 
dwelleth no good thing : for to will is present with me ; 
but how to perform that which is good I find not." — Ro>i. 
VII : 18. 

Leader. — " Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall 
answer ; thou shalt cry, and He shall say, Here I am. If 
thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the put- 
ting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity : 

And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy 
the afflicted soul ; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, 
and thy darkness be as the noonday." — Isa. lviii : 9-10. 

Class.—" Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me ; for 
I am meek .and lowly in heart : and ye shall find rest for 
your souls. 

" For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." — Matt, 
xi : 29-30. 

"Free from the law, happy condition !" 



.) , 




Leader. — "And he bearing his cross went forth into a 



THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 197 

place called the place of a skull, which is called in the 
Hebrew, Golgotha." — John xix : 17. 

Class. — " Whosoever will come after me, let him deny 
himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." — Mark 
viii : 34. 

Leader — "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified 
with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that 
henceforth we should not serve sin." — Rom. vi : 6. 

Class — "I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live ; 
yet not I, but Christ livethin me; and the life which I now 
live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who 
loved me, and gave himself for me." — Gal. ii : 20. 

Together. — " But God forbid that I should glory, save in 
the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is 
crucified unto me, and I unto the world." — Gal. vi : 14. 

"Jesus keep me near the cross, 
There a precious fountain 
Free to all, a healing stream 
Flows from Calvary's mountain." 




Leader.— "Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards 
of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower." — 
Isa. xxvin : 1. 

Class.—" Blessed is the man that endureth temptation ; 
for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, 
which the Lord has promised to those that love him." — 
James i : 12. 

Leader. — "For what is our hope, our joy, or crown of 
rejoicing, are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus 
Christ at his coming."—! Thess. ii : 19. 



198 THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUKDAY-SCHOOL. 

Class. — " Fear none of those things which thou shalt 
suffer; behold the devil shall cast some of you in prison, 
that ye may be tried ; and ye shall have tribulation ten 
days; be then faithful unto death, and I will give thee a 
crown of life."— Key. ii : 10. 

Leader. — " Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown 
of righteousness which the Lord the righteous judge, 
shall give me at that day ; and not to me only, but to all 
them also that love his appearing.'' — 2 Tim:, iv : 8. 

Class. — " And when the chief shepherd shall appeir, yc 
shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." — 
1 Pet. v : 4. 




Leader.—" Blessed is the man that walketh not in the 
council of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, 
nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful : But his delight is 
in the law of the Lord."— Psm. I : i-2. 

Class.— " And he shall belike a tree planted by the 
rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; 
his leaf also shall not wither ; and whatsoever he doeth shall 
prosper." — Psm. i : 3. 

Leader.—" Blessed is the man who trusteth in the Lord, 
and who's hope the Lord is." — Jer. xvii : 7. 

Class. — "For he shall be as a tree planted by the 



THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUSTDAY-SCHOOL. 199 

waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and 
shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green ; 
and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither 
shall cease from yielding fruit." — Jer. xyii : 8. 

Leader. — " The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; 
and he that winneth souls is wise." — Prov. ii : 30. 

Class. — "A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, 
neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit." — Mat. 
7 : 13. 

Leader.— "The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree; 
he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. — Psm. xcii : 12. 

Class. — " How goodly are thy tents, Jacob, and thy 
tabernacles, Israel ; as the valleys are they spread forth, 
as gardens by the rivers side ; as trees of lign aloes which 
the Lord hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters." 
— Num. xxiv : 5. 

"Think, think, my soul, what a lesson for thee, 
The bough may bloom fair, yet quite barren the tree, 
While planted I am in this garden below, 
Some fruit, if but little, some fruit I must show, 

Lest He that hath planted, should say with a frown, 
' The axe to the root ; cut the cumberer down. ' 
My season for bearing, not long can it last, 
A»d I know not how nearly that season hath past ; 

Let it pass ; earth is not my favorite clime, 

Nor skillful the hand of the gardener, time ; 

Heaven, heaven is the clime, and once plant me but there, 

O how shall I bloom, and what fruit shall I bear ; 

In the planter's own garden, beneath his own eye, 
My leaf shall not wither, my fruit shall not die ; 
By the fountain of life I shall flourishing stand 
Transplanted by love, with the gentlest hand." 

Leader. — " And the Lord spake unto Moses saying, 
Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of 
brass to wash withal." — Ex. xxx : 17-18. 



200 THE BLACK-BOARD Itf THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 




Class. — "When they go into the tabernacle of the con- 
gregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not ; 
or when they come to the altar to minister, to burnt offer- 
ings made by fire unto the Lord." — Ex. xxx : 20. 

Leader. — " Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and 
cleanse me from my sin." — Psm. li : 2. 

Class. — "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean ; 
wash me and I shall be whiter than snow." — Psm. li : 7. 

Leader. — There is a generation that are pure in their own 
eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness." — Prov. 
xxx : 12. 

Class. — "And such were some of you: but ye are 
washed : but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified, in the 
name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God." — 
1 Cor. yi : 11. 

Leader. — " Let us draw near with a true heart, in full 
assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an 
evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." — 
Heb. x : 22. 

Class. — "Not by works of righteousness that we have 
done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the wash- 
ing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost."- — 
Titus hi : 5. 

" Dear Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole, 
I want thee for ever to live in my soul. 
Break down every idol, cast out every foe ; 



THE BLACK-BOARD IK THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



201 



Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. 

Whiter than snow, 

Yes, whiter than snow ; 
Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. 

I would I were pure, and were cleansed from all sin, 
My heart needs a cure, wilt thou not enter in ; 
Let thy love in my heart a pure fountain flow, 
Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow." 



^ss 



Jiv 



m 
Ik 



/>- 



...yL 



Leader. ~- "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold 
wondrous things out of thy law." — Psm. cxix : 18. 

Class. — "The prophecy came not in old time by the will 
of man ; but holy men of God spake as they were moved 
by the Holy Ghost."— 2 Pet. i : 21. 

Leader. — "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, 
and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, 
for instruction in righteousness ; that the man of God may 
be perfect,, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." — 
2 Tim. hi : 16-17. 

Class.—" The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the 
soul." 

Leader.—" The testimony of the Lord is sure, making 
wise the simple." 

Class.—" The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing 
the heart." 

Leader.— The commandment of the Lord is pure, en- 
lightening the eyes." — Psm. xix : 7-8. 



202 



THE BLACK-BOAKD Itf THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



Class. — "Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who 
walk in the law of the Lord." — Psm. cxix : 1. 

Leader. — "Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, 
andthat seek him with a whole heart." — Psm. cxix : 2. 

Class. — " Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light 
unto my path." — Psm. cxix : 105. 

Leader. — " Verily I say unto you, till heaven and eartli 
pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the 
law until all be fulfilled." 

Class. — " Whosoever therefore shall break one of these 
least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be 
called the least in the kingdom of heaven ; but whosoever 
shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in 
the kingdom of heaven." — Matt, v : 19. 




Leader.— "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the 
waters." — Isaiah ly : 1. 

Glass. — "As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so 
panteth my soul after thee, God." — Psm. xlii : 1. 

Leader. — "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst 
after righteousness, for they shall be filled." — Matt, y : 6. 

Class. — " My soul thirsteth for God ; when shall I come 
and appear before God ? " — Psm. xlii : 2. 

Leader. — "When the poor and needy seek water and 
there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I th§ 



THE BLACK-BOARD IN THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 



203 



Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake 
them." — Isa. xli : 17. 

Class. — " I will open rivers in high places, and fountains 
in the midst of the valleys." — Isa. xli : 18. 

Leader. — "In that day there shall be a fountain opened 
opened to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of 
Jerusalem, for sin and uncleanness. 

Class. — " They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall 
the heat of the sun smite them ; for he that hath mercy 
on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall 
he guide them." — Isa. xlix : 10. 

Leader. — " Bless ye God in the congregations ; even the 
Lord from the fountain of Israel." — Psm. lxviii : 26. 

Class. — "For with thee is the fountain of life; in thy 
light shall we see light." — Psm. xxxvi : 9. 

Leader. — "I will give unto him that is athirst of the 
fountain of life freely. "—Rev. xxi : 6. 

Class.—" And the spirit and the bride say, Come. And 
let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is 
athirst, Come, and whosoever will, let him take of the 
water of life freely."— Rev. xxii : 17. 

" O there is a river whose fresh waters flow, 
O'er earth's broadest surface, a cure for all woe ; 
Its streams are all healing, there's life in each wave, 
O, try it, and prove it, 'tis mighty to save. 

O, drink of this river, its full crystal flood 
Refreshes and lightens of sin's weary load ; 
Its ripples ne'er mix with the billows of strife, 
This is the 4 Pure River of Water of Life.' 

This beautiful river our boast well may be, 
'Tis fresh, overflowing, and better, 'tis free ; 
The sin-sick rejoice in this ' peace-speaking tide ; 
This river is Jesus, the ' once crucified. ' " 



XVIII. 

CONCLUSION. 

The preceding pages have been composed with a purpose 
to supply an increasing demand for practical instruction in 
regard to the use of the Black-board in the Sunday-School. 
Nothing has been wittingly omitted which would be of use 
to the learner. It is true, specimen lessons and exercises 
might have been multiplied ad infinitum , but, I believe, 
without real benefit to the reader. 

The lessons chosen have all been successfully used, and 
may be used again, but they have not been presented to be 
copied, but rather to serve as suggestions. They have 
been selected with a purpose to exhibit the various modes 
of treatment on the black-board. 

The Creator designs no two men exactly alike, either as 
regards their physical or meni al forms ; every man has a 
character of his own which puts his imprint upon all his 
works. Truth itself does not present itself to us all in the 
same color. No language is so precise as to convey exactly 
the same thought to all intelligences. And I believe that 
Hie Eedeemer of us all reveals Himself to each of his 
children in an aspect known only to that child; so, fellow 
worker, use the matter contained in these pages as far as is 
useful to you, but work out your own lessons according to 
your own way, yet never loosing sight of the object in view, 
which is to teach ; to make plain that which is not appre- 
hended. "The word is the seed," plant it. 

" The entrance of thy words giveth light ; it giveth un- 
derstanding unto the simple." F. B. 



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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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